NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Tennessee inmate on death row has selected his last meal ahead of his execution scheduled for next week.

Byron Black is set to be executed on Tuesday, Aug. 5 for the 1998 murders of Angela Clay and her two young daughters, LaToya and LaKeisha. The three were reportedly shot and killed in a Nashville home.

However, a legal debate continues as Black's attorneys argue that his implanted heart-regulating device should be deactivated to avoid a "torturous death." The inmate's attorneys also argued that the now 67-year-old suffers from dementia and severe brain damage, making him no longer mentally competent to be executed.

In fact, Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk agreed with that claim, stating that Black's condition made him "ineligible for capital publishment" under Tennessee law. However, the Tennessee Supreme Court later denied a request for a hearing after ruling there was not enough medical evidence to intervene, which cleared the way for the state to proceed with the execution.

On Thursday, July 31, a judge ruled in the state's favor to execute Black without deactivating his heart implant.

According to the Tennessee Department of Correction, Black has selected pizza with mushrooms and sausage, donuts, and butter pecan ice cream to be served for his last meal. The meal will reportedly be served on Monday, Aug. 4.

Earlier this year, TDOC announced the execution dates of several inmates, including Black, with News 2:

• Oscar Smith, who found found guilty of killing his estranged wife Judith in 1989, was executed on May 22. He was served hot dogs, tater tots and an apple pie with vanilla ice cream for his final meal.
• Donald Middlebrooks, who was convicted for the 1987 murder of Kerrick Majors, has an execution date of Sept. 24, 2025.
• Harold Nichols, who was convicted of rape and first-degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Karen Pulley, has a new execution date of Dec. 11, 2025.

Unless a stay is granted, Black is scheduled to be executed on Aug. 5 at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/tennessee-inmate-byron-black-selects-last-meal-ahead-of-execution/