What Do We Owe Those We’ve Condemned to Die?

John Henry Ramirez doesn’t want to be executed, though he knows why a lot of Texans -- including the state attorney general and the head of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) -- wish him dead. One night in July 2004, Ramirez, high on cocaine, marijuana, and vodka, drove around Corpus Christi to find someone to rob so he could buy more drugs. He saw Pablo Castro emptying the trash outside the convenience store where he worked. Ramirez stabbed Castro, a 45-year-old father of nine, 29 times, and went through his pockets, stealing $1.25. Castro died, and Ramirez was caught, found guilty of capital murder, and sentenced to die.