Ponchai Wilkerson
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Ponchai Kamau Wilkerson (July 15, 1971
Early life
Ponchai Kamau Wilkerson (โพนชัย กาเมา วิลเกอร์สัน), of
Criminal activities
On November 28, 1990, Wilkerson and Wilton Bethony entered Yi Chung Myong's jewellery shop Royal Gold Jewellery Store in Houston, Texas. They had been on a crime spree for a month. Wilkerson left briefly twice, and pulled a Glock pistol from his jacket upon returning the second time and fired the gun once without warning at Yi Chung Myong's temple from a distance of 30 cm (12 inches).[3][4] During the trial, Wilkerson testified that the murder was not committed in self-defense or accidentally.[5]
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed his conviction and sentence on December 12, 1994. He also appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Supreme Court of the United States, who both denied his appeals.
During
Wilkerson exhausted his final appeal to Judge Jan Krocker in February 2000, a dramatic scene involving community activist Njeri Shakur (member of the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement and the Allen Parkway Village Residents Council) shouting at Judge Krocker, which led to a contempt charge against Shakur; she served 30 days in the Harris County Jail. Shakur and Deloyd Parker, Jr. (the founder of the S.H.A.P.E. Community Centre) became friends with Ponchai while he was on death row.
On February 12, 2000, Wilkerson and fellow death row inmate Howard Guidry took 57-year-old guard Jeanette Bledsoe hostage at the Terrell Unit (now Allan B. Polunsky Unit) outside Livingston, Texas[7] after Wilkerson apparently opened his cell door's lock.[8] Members of the National Black United Front and the S.H.A.P.E. Centre demanded that Wilkerson release the hostage. Thirteen hours later, the guard was released unharmed.
On the day of his execution, Wilkerson refused to leave his cell at the Terrell Unit prison near Livingston, Texas. Guards were forced to use Mace-like gas and carry him to and from the death van that took him to the Hunstville Unit.[9] He did not request a last meal[4] or give any instructions on the disposal of his body. When asked by the warden if he had a last statement, he responded "This is not a capital punishment case!"
After the drugs were administered, Wilkerson spit out an inch-and-a-half universal handcuff and leg restraint key. It was unknown how Wilkerson obtained the key.[10] Wilkerson was pronounced dead at 6:24 p.m.
See also
- Capital punishment in Texas
- Capital punishment in the United States
- List of people executed in Texas, 2000–2009
- List of people executed in the United States in 2000
References
- ^ "Update on Property Room Matters and Evidence Handling". houstontx.gov. 2005-08-16. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ "REVOLUTIONARY LEGACY OF KAMAU WILKERSON LIVES ON". workers.org. 2000-04-13. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ "PONCHAI WILKERSON, APPELLANT v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, APPELLEE". findacase.com. 1994-03-24. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ ISBN 9781440635601. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ "Ponchai Wilkerson".
- ^ "Texas Execution Information Center". Retrieved 1 December 2015.
- ^ "Death-row inmates take officer hostage - Warden negotiates with prisoners". dallasnews.com. 2000-02-23. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ "After 13 hour standoff, death row inmates release hostage". lubbockonline.com. 2000-02-23. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ "National News Briefs; Killer Spits Out Key During Texas Execution". The New York Times. 2000-03-16. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ "National News Briefs; Killer Spits Out Key During Texas Execution" (Archive). March 16, 2000. The New York Times. Retrieved on December 9, 2015.