Chapman described as peaceful

EDDYVILLE — The last day of Marco Allen Chapman's life began early, at 5 a.m. Friday.

The night before, Chapman — the third person executed by Kentucky since the death penalty was reinstated — was moved from Death Row to the execution facility at Kentucky State Penitentiary. He brought his Bible, television and some writing materials, according to corrections officials who updated media throughout the day.

Marco Allen Chapman is executed
Some volunteer to die
It's not unusual for condemned inmates to waive their appeals and volunteer to be executed years before they otherwise would be.
Of the 1,135 people executed in the United States since 1976, 133 were volunteers, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Those numbers include Marco Allen Chapman, who was executed Friday evening at the Kentucky State Penitentiary. Chapman would have had years of appeals remaining if he had fought the death penalty, but he asked to be sentenced to death even before his trial.
Richard Dieter, executive director of the center, said some inmates volunteer for death because they become demoralized after years on Death Row, and some see it as a way to assert some control over their life.
Of the three men executed in Kentucky since 1976, two were volunteers — Chapman and Eddie Lee Harper, 50, who was executed by lethal injection in May 1999 for killing his adoptive parents.
The state's first modern execution was that of Harold McQueen, 44, who died in the electric chair in July 1997 for killing convenience-store clerk Rebecca O'Hearn during a robbery in Richmond in 1980.
Bill Estep

He woke up at 5 a.m., showered and was served a breakfast of sausage, pancakes, fried eggs and milk. He spent the remainder of his morning writing letters and watching the Today show on TV.

Chapman declined to eat lunch, opting to wait for his final meal: a 32-ounce steak, 20 butterfly shrimp, tossed salad with ranch dressing, iced tea and banana cream pie. The meal was bought at a local food market for $31.81 and was cooked by prison staff. He asked for it to be cooked medium rare and served with A1 steak sauce.

Lisa Lamb, a Department of Corrections spokeswoman, said Chapman was quiet Friday morning.

"He has had some questions in regards to the process, but he has had very little conversation where we could determine a mood," Lamb said.

Chapman consulted with a public defender for 30 minutes at 2 p.m. CST. He asked to speak with the attorney, but he declined to change his mind and file a last-minute appeal.

At 2:58 p.m., Chapman was served his last meal. He ate all of it.

By mid-afternoon, Chapman was watching more television. He had already watched Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. He was writing more letters and was working on his final statement.

He directed that his only belongings — his television and personal photographs — be sent to his aunt, who would give them to a niece.

At 4:30 p.m. CST, with 21/2 hours left to live, Chapman seemed calm.

"He has not outwardly expressed any fear or communicated that to us," Lamb said.

Lamb later described Chapman as peaceful.

Brandon Ortiz and Bill Estep