Philip Ray Workman
First-Degree Murder
Tennessee, USA
American
1981
Capital Execution
EXECUTED (2007)
Philip Ray Workman was convicted for the 1981 murder of Memphis Police Lieutenant Ronald Oliver during a robbery. His case remained highly publicized for decades due to claims of innocence and controversies surrounding the ballistics evidence presented at trial.
After spending 25 years on death row, Workman was executed by lethal injection at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Tennessee on May 9, 2007.
Workman’s final meal request became a point of contention with prison administration. He requested that a large vegetarian pizza be purchased and delivered to a homeless person in the Nashville area.
- Request: Large vegetarian pizza for a homeless individual (Denied by administration).
- Actual Consumption: Served a medium vegetarian pizza, which remained uneaten.
The prison administration’s refusal to honor the charitable aspect of Workman’s request led to significant public outcry. Following the news of the denial, several people across the country called homeless shelters in Nashville to purchase pizzas for the homeless on his behalf.
