242:, a highly secure prison for the state's most dangerous inmates, Gleason strangled 26-year-old Aaron Cooper (September 27, 1983 – July 28, 2010) through wire fencing that separated their individual cages in a prison yard on July 28, 2010. Cooper had been serving a 34-year sentence for robbery. Gleason was subsequently sentenced to death, voluntarily waived his appeals, and received his request. He chose the
326:. Supporters of capital punishment referenced Gleason's case as an example of why Virginia should continue the practice, pointing out that Gleason had continued to kill while he was behind bars, and would have continued to do so had he not been executed. Advocates of capital punishment argued that executing Gleason had saved lives and that death was the appropriate sentence for people like Gleason.
231:
because they refused to move out his new, severely mentally ill cellmate, Harvey Gray Watson (September 11, 1945 – May 8, 2009). Watson had been serving a 100-year sentence for a shooting spree on August 11, 1983, which resulted in one death and three injuries. Gleason hog-tied, beat and strangled
31:
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who vowed to continue killing in prison if he was not put to death. Capital punishment was abolished in
Virginia on March 24, 2021, officially making Gleason the last person to be executed in Virginia by
862:
353:
235:
Gleason also claimed to have killed other people before his incarceration for
Jamerson's murder. He said he was paid to kill some of the alleged victims, while he killed others for angering him.
644:
294:, also in Virginia. Gleason stands as the last person to die in the Virginia electric chair, the last person to die in the electric chair in any jurisdiction for almost six years until the
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63-year-old Watson, on the second anniversary of
Jamerson's death. Gleason pleaded guilty. In court and media interviews, Gleason vowed to continue killing if not given a death sentence.
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p.m. He was the first person executed in the United States in 2013. He had a last meal that he wanted kept secret. His last words were purportedly, "Well, I hope
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348:
619:"Governor Rejects Jurors' Plea for Clemency for Edmund Zagorski as Tennessee Court Allows Lethal Injections to Proceed | Death Penalty Information Center"
857:
329:
On March 24, 2021, capital punishment was abolished in
Virginia, officially making Gleason the last person to be executed in Virginia by electrocution.
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In 2008, Gleason was sentenced to life in prison for the 2007 murder of
Michael Kent Jamerson (March 13, 1953 – May 8, 2007) in
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for two separate murders of two of his cellmates. Gleason, who was already serving a life sentence for another murder, was an
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286:," is translated from Irish as "Kiss my arse." His execution was the first to be carried out by electric chair since the
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223:. Gleason murdered Jamerson to cover up his involvement in a drug gang. In 2009, while serving a life sentence at
488:
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645:"Tennessee death row inmate requests pickled pig knuckles for final meal before execution by electric chair"
707:"Since 1608, Virginia has executed more people than any other state. It may now abolish the death penalty"
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282:. Put me on the highway to Jackson and call my Irish buddies. Póg mo thóin. God bless." The phrase "
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306:, and the most recent person executed by electrocution in a jurisdiction other than the state of
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429:"Virginia moves toward banning capital punishment, in a shift for prolific death penalty state"
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665:"Virginia may be first in south to abolish death penalty and abandon 'legalized lynching'"
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686:"Advocates for keeping death penalty point to the many lives taken by Virginia's killers"
457:"Virginia abolishes the death penalty, becoming the first Southern state to ban its use"
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539:"Gleason given death penalty for each of two prison inmates strangled to death"
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379:"Final words of last man executed by electric chair were Irish"
354:
List of white defendants executed for killing a black victim
514:"Va. executes convicted killer who sought death penalty"
405:"Virginia inmate Robert Gleason dies by electric chair"
863:
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by
Virginia
344:
List of people executed in the United States in 2013
194:(April 10, 1970 – January 16, 2013) was an American
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359:Race and capital punishment in the United States
589:"Robert Gleason got death the way he wanted it"
318:In 2021, Gleason's case was referred to when a
121:Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony
853:People executed by Virginia by electric chair
595:. Bristol, Virginia: Bristol Herald Courier.
280:Percy ain't going to forget to wet the sponge
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765:Executions carried out in the United States
349:List of serial killers in the United States
198:who was sentenced to death and executed in
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29:
18:
227:, Gleason had become frustrated with the
455:Schneider, Gregory S. (March 24, 2021).
161:2007 – 2010 (confirmed murders)
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848:People convicted of murder by Virginia
643:Ritschel, Chelsea (November 1, 2018).
599:from the original on February 19, 2020
587:Owens, Michael L. (January 16, 2013).
16:American executed criminal (1970–2013)
512:Jouvenal, Justin (January 16, 2013).
450:
448:
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705:Dujardin, Peter (January 31, 2021).
427:Vozzella, Laura (January 23, 2021).
422:
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838:21st-century executions by Virginia
339:List of people executed in Virginia
727:Executions carried out in Virginia
563:"Robert Charles Gleason Jr. #1321"
14:
858:People from Lowell, Massachusetts
684:Green, Frank (January 28, 2021).
843:Executed American serial killers
833:21st-century American criminals
264:Greensville Correctional Center
78:Greensville Correctional Center
324:capital punishment in Virginia
1:
238:While awaiting sentencing at
868:Serial killers from Virginia
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225:Wallens Ridge State Prison
192:Robert Charles Gleason Jr.
94:Execution by electrocution
45:Robert Charles Gleason Jr.
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322:was brought forth to end
314:Capital punishment debate
229:Department of Corrections
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258:Gleason was executed by
221:Amherst County, Virginia
567:www.clarkprosecutor.org
296:November 2018 execution
240:Red Onion State Prison
215:Crimes and sentencing
59:Lowell, Massachusetts
623:deathpenaltyinfo.org
441:on February 2, 2021.
288:March 2010 execution
712:The Virginian-Pilot
673:. February 2, 2021.
519:The Washington Post
462:The Washington Post
434:The Washington Post
413:. January 17, 2013.
204:execution volunteer
157:Span of crimes
138:(September 6, 2011)
117:First degree murder
90:Cause of death
691:The Daily Progress
526:on April 29, 2016.
292:Paul Warner Powell
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805:February 21, 2013
797:Succeeded by
794:January 16, 2013
788:Robert Gleason –
782:December 11, 2012
750:Succeeded by
747:January 16, 2013
593:heraldcourier.com
469:on March 24, 2021
268:Jarratt, Virginia
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131:Life imprisonment
82:Jarratt, Virginia
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774:Manuel Pardo Jr.
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522:. Archived from
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383:IrishCentral.com
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74:(aged 42)
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55:April 10, 1970
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626:. Retrieved
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601:. Retrieved
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546:. Retrieved
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387:. Retrieved
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284:Póg mo thóin
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72:(2013-01-16)
828:2013 deaths
823:1970 births
628:November 2,
572:November 2,
389:November 2,
817:Categories
548:2022-02-21
498:2022-04-06
365:References
114:(2 counts)
51:1970-04-10
473:March 24,
308:Tennessee
304:Tennessee
274:, at 9:08
254:Execution
790:Virginia
597:Archived
410:BBC News
333:See also
200:Virginia
180:Virginia
175:State(s)
778:Florida
166:Country
148:Victims
143:Details
133:(2008)
276:
84:, U.S.
61:, U.S.
801:Texas
270:, on
246:over
136:Death
630:2018
605:2020
574:2018
475:2021
391:2018
320:bill
67:Died
41:Born
302:in
298:of
290:of
266:in
262:at
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