Montgomery, United States (TEH) – The final moments of a man’s life can reveal a lot about his character, his beliefs, and his fears. For Torrey Twane McNabb, a man sentenced to death for fatally shooting Montgomery Police Officer Anderson Gordon, his last words were a testament to his defiance and fearlessness. His chilling final words and gestures, made moments before his execution, have sparked conversations about the death penalty, its implementation, and the humanity of those facing it.
McNabb, who spent 18 years on death row, was executed on October 19, 2017, in Alabama. His last words were directed at his family and the state that sentenced him to death. He said, “Mum, sis, look at my eyes. I have no tears. In my eyes, I’m not afraid.” He followed this with a final act of defiance, cursing at the state of Alabama and making lewd gestures as he raised his fingers in the V sign. “I hate you motherf**kers. I hate you. I hate you,” he said. Just before he lost consciousness, McNabb raised both of his middle fingers.
The execution was carried out at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. McNabb’s lawyers had tried to stop the execution due to his involvement in a lawsuit challenging the state’s lethal injection procedure. Inmates argued that the procedure involved a controversial sedative that does not make people completely unconscious, meaning they suffer an agonizing death as the subsequent drugs are injected to stop their heart and lungs. McNabb’s family and attorneys expressed concerns that he remained conscious after the sedative was injected, as reported by Mirror.
McNabb’s execution took 35 minutes, and he was the 61st person to be executed in Alabama since 1976. He was convicted on two counts of capital murder for Officer Gordon’s death – one for killing Officer Gordon while he was on duty, and one for killing him as he sat in his patrol car. McNabb was also found guilty of two additional counts of attempted murder.
Officer Gordon, a 30-year-old officer, was killed on September 24, 1997, after arriving at the scene of a crash caused by McNabb as he attempted to flee from a bail bondsman. The officer was shot five times while sitting in his patrol car.
In a statement after his execution, Officer Gordon’s family said: “Over 20 years ago, we lost a companion, a father, a brother, and a friend who only wanted to make a difference in his community… Although the wounds of having a family member murdered can never be healed, through this tragedy, the Gordon family has remained strong and will continue to be resilient… Though this has been a difficult day for the Gordon family, we also continue to pray for the family of Torrey McNabb.”
The story of Torrey Twane McNabb’s execution is a stark reminder of the ongoing debate surrounding the death penalty. His defiant last words and the controversy surrounding his execution method continue to fuel discussions about the ethics of capital punishment, the justice system, and the rights of those condemned to death.
