Featured Image Credit: Murderpedia/Getty Stock Image
Topics: Crime, Food and Drink, True crime, US News, Death Row
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Crime, Food and Drink, True crime, US News, Death Row
A death row inmate's unexpected request being denied led to widespread outrage and members of the public rallying around in support.
Philip Ray Workman was convicted for the murder of a police officer in 1982 and sentenced to death.
Ahead of his execution on May 9, 2007, he made an unexpected request for his last meal.
On August 5, 1982, Workman hitchhiked to Memphis, Tennessee and robbed a Wendy's restaurant armed with a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
Advert
During the robbery, a silent alarm was triggered by an employee and three police officers rushed to the scene.
Workman tried to flee the scene and during the process, shot and killed Lieutenant Ronald Oliver.
Multiple witnesses testified they'd seen Workman shoot Lt. Oliver.
It's reported Workman experienced drug addiction and had a history of being abused as a child but this wasn't presented as mitigating evidence by the defense team.
He was ultimately found guilty of murder and sentenced to death.
Workman later hit headlines as a result of his last meal request - asking for food not for himself but others.
Workman requested a large vegetarian pizza and that it be given to a homeless person - the inmate reportedly homeless himself at the time he committed his crimes.
Alas, despite the kind intentions, CNN reports the request was refused by prison officials who said they don't donate to charities.
News of Workman's request being denied spread and multiple people decided to honor it themselves.
Donna Spangler was one person who heard about Workman's request being denied and decided to act, clubbing together with her friends to raise $1,200 to buy 150 pizzas to send to homeless charity the Rescue Mission.
She told CNN: "Philip Workman was trying to do a good deed and no one would help him. I knew my husband would have a heart attack - I put some of it on the credit card. But I thought we'll find a way to pay for them later. I just felt like I had to do something positive."
President of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Ingrid Newkirk also sent 15 pizzas to the Rescue Mission too.
She said: "Workman's act was selfless, and kindness to all living beings is a virtue."
Director of public relations for the Rescue Mission, Cliff Tredway, said at the time: "It's the story of a guy whose execution translated into a generous act. It's people donating to other people they don't know.
"It's about a group of people who society often writes off getting a pizza party today."
Rescue Mission employee Marvin Champion added: "This really shows the people here that someone out there thought of them."
Workman was ultimately executed at 2.00am on May 9, 2007.