News Release - June 22, 2007
Georgia Department of Corrections
James E. Donald, Commissioner
Office of Public Affairs
Yolanda Thompson, Director
Contact: Office of Public Affairs (404) 656-9772
For Immediate Release
Hightower Execution Media Advisory
Inmate requests last meal
Atlanta –Condemned murderer John Washington Hightower is scheduled for execution by lethal injection at 7:00 p.m., on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia.
Media witnesses for the execution are Harry Webber, Associated Press; Stephanie Gibson, The Union-Recorder; Lateef Mungin, Atlanta Journal Constitution; Randall Savage, 13-WMAZ ; Jennifer Griffes, WSB News; and Tony McNary, WGCL-TV 46.
Hightower has requested four fried pork chops, collard greens with boiled okra and "boiling meat", fried corn, fried fatback, fried green tomatoes, cornbread, lemonade, one pint of strawberry ice cream and three glazed donuts as his last meal.
The Georgia Diagnostic & Classification Prison is located 45 minutes south of Atlanta off Interstate 75. From Atlanta, take exit 201 (Ga. Hwy. 36), turn left over the bridge and go approximately ¼ mile. The entrance to the prison is on the left. Media covering the execution will be allowed into the prison’s media staging area beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
The Georgia Department of Corrections is the fifth largest prison system in the United States and is responsible for supervising over 60,000 inmates in custody and 140,000 probationers under supervision. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with nearly 15,000 employees.
For further information, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at 404-656-9772.
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