by Student Minister Abdul Haleem Muhammad
On June 22, 2000, it was hot and humid in Huntsville, Texas. The temperature outside ranged from 97 to 100 degrees. Inside the Walls Unit, home to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s execution chamber, it felt even hotter. I was the spiritual advisor for death row inmate number 696, Shaka Sankofa, formerly known as Gary Graham.
Earlier that year, I had also advised Odell Barnes, who was executed on March 1. Shaka was convicted of capital murder in 1981. His case drew international attention because he was only 17 years old at the time of his arrest, had ineffective legal representation, and there was credible evidence of his actual innocence. In Texas, it is often better to be wealthy and guilty than poor and innocent.
Before Shaka’s execution, I was the last person to visit him in the holding cell next to the execution chamber. Our conversation was very impactful. He said, “The Board’s decision does not surprise me. Governor Bush missed a chance to show influence and leadership. Even a blind man is held accountable. The opposition understands the importance of this case, which is why they fought so hard. This case has united leaders to create change. The law that sentenced me to death goes against both biblical and Quranic law.” He paused and added, “Death is a complement to life. They make it something to fear to control us. Non-cooperation with evil is an obligation. To be an effective leader, you must be willing to pay the price.”
I noticed a tray of food on the floor of the cell. I asked him, “Is this your last meal? Are you going to eat it?” His response was deeply spiritual: “No! To accept a meal is to accept injustice.”
After our visit, I was escorted outside by the Fruit of Islam, where I spoke to those gathered to support halting Shaka’s execution. Soon after, I returned to the Walls Unit to wait with Reverends Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Bianca Jagger for a decision from the United States Supreme Court about his case. The Supreme Court denied his appeal. Shaka was then forcibly taken from the holding cell, strapped to a gurney, and had IVs placed in his arms to administer the chemicals for his execution.
What Shaka said to us, the witnesses present before and during the release of the chemicals into his veins, was profound. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan featured his final statement in the centerfold of The Final Call newspaper the following week. Here is a portion of the last part of that statement:
“Keep your heads up. Keep moving forward. Stay united. Maintain love and unity in the community. Know that victory is assured. Victory for the people will come. We will gain our freedom and liberation in this country, and we will do it by any means necessary. We will keep marching. March on, Black people. Keep your heads high. March on. All of you leaders, march on. Take your message to the people. Preach for a moratorium on all executions. We are going to stop; we will end the death penalty in this country. We will end it across the world. Push forward, people. Know that what you are doing is right and just. This is nothing more than pure and simple murder. This is what is happening tonight in America—nothing more than state-sanctioned murder, state-sanctioned lynching, right here and right now. This is what is happening, my brothers. Nothing less. They know I’m innocent. They have the facts to prove it. They know I’m innocent, but they cannot acknowledge it because doing so would mean admitting their own guilt. This is something these racist people will never do.”
Afterward, Texas officials kept the witnesses long enough for the supporters and protesters to disperse before we were allowed to meet the press. At the time, I was on the 30th day of a 40-day fast, consuming only bean soup broth and liquids. When the camera lights turned on and it was my turn to speak, I told the press, “We can’t let this evil out of Texas.” In that moment, I realized that Governor Bush’s execution of juveniles, the mentally ill, and born-again Christians could have been an audition for his presidential campaign.
This is not the end of the story. Exactly one year later, in June, after Shaka Sankofa was put to death, Tropical Storm Allison struck Houston, flooding downtown and the very courthouse where the hearing was held that set his death date. The storm stalled over southeast Texas for 3 days, causing $9 billion in damage and taking 40 lives. The moral of this story is that Allah (God) is a Merciful God, but He is also a God of Justice. Long live the memory of Shaka Sankofa and the ongoing struggle against the anti-poor, racist death penalty. The final statement of Shaka Sankofa can be read in its entirety at: https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/death_row/dr_info/grahamgarylast.html
Brother Abdul Haleem Muhammad is the Southwest Regional Minister of the Nation of Islam based at Mosque No. 45 in Houston.