Robert Alton Harris
Kidnapping / Murder
California, USA
American
1978
Capital Execution
EXECUTED (1992)
Robert Alton Harris was convicted for the 1978 kidnapping and murder of two teenage boys in San Diego, California. His case involved a prolonged series of legal appeals and stays of execution that spanned over a decade, making his case a focal point for debates surrounding the death penalty in California.
He was ultimately executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison on April 21, 1992, marking the first execution in California since 1967.
For his final meal, Harris requested the following items:
- Bucket of fried chicken
- Two large pizzas
- Ice cream
The days leading up to Harris’s execution were marked by intense legal activity, including four overnight stays of execution. His death was a highly controversial event, with his execution by gas chamber being the first of its kind in California in twenty-five years.
