Twenty
years ago on this date, August 24, 1993, a violent killer, David Edwin Mason
was executed by the gas chamber in California. He was the second person put to
death by that State since 1976. I will post information about him from
Wikipedia.
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David Edwin Mason
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David Edwin Mason (December 2, 1956 – August 24, 1993) was an American
serial killer who was executed in San Quentin's gas chamber in 1993. This
marked the second execution in the state of California since 1967, and the last
execution by gas chamber in that state. Mason killed four elderly people in
1980, his cellmate in 1982 and is suspected of murdering his male lover.
The
crimes
In
July 1977, Mason stabbed a store clerk with an ice pick after robbing the
store. He threatened to kill her if she called the police and testified against
him. Mason was sentenced in November 1977 to 36 months in state prison.
In
March 1980, Mason assaulted and attempted to rob a victim who was returning
home late at night. During the ensuing fight, Mason struck the victim on the
top of the head with a gun. In December 1980, Mason gained admittance to the
home of an elderly couple through the pretext of selling and delivering
firewood. Mason then handcuffed the victims to chairs and robbed them of
$47,000 worth of jewelry and coins. At the time of his arrest in February 1981,
Mason had in his possession a loaded sawed-off shotgun and pistol and other
ammunition. He was convicted and sentenced in April 1982. He confessed to these
crimes and was sentenced in June 1982 to a total of 124 months in state prison
for both 1980 crimes.
The
murders
In
1980, Mason committed four murders, one on March 6, one on August 28, one on
November 11, and one on December 6, and a murder of a cellmate in 1982. Mason
was wanted in Butte County for the 1980 shooting and killing his male lover
while the victim was sleeping. He committed many other infractions. On January
27, 1984 he was sentenced to death. He was executed on August 24, 1993 in San
Quentin's gas chamber.
History
of abuse
Mason
was subjected to severe physical, psychological and verbal abuse by his strict
fundamentalist Christian parents. He attempted to commit suicide at the age of
five by swallowing a bottle of pills and setting his clothes on fire, the first
of at least 25 reported attempts in the next 20 years. His behavior from an early
age was uncontrollable. He set fires, attacked other children, and at the age
of eight was found standing over his baby brother’s crib with a knife. His
parents reportedly resorted to locking him in a room called “the dungeon”, a
bedroom with the windows nailed shut. When he was 11 and defecated himself, his
mother pinned a baby’s soiled nappies on him and made him wear his own soiled
underwear on his head. On another occasion, his father allegedly strapped him
to a workbench, gagged him and beat him unconscious. Mason was diagnosed with
PTSD.
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Executions in California were carried out in
the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison. It was modified for the use of
lethal injection, but has been returned to its original designated purpose,
with the creation of a new chamber specifically for lethal injection.
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Execution
Mason
was executed August 24, 1993 in the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison. He
was the first condemned inmate to voluntarily waive his appeals on a federal
level. The execution was scheduled for 12:01 a.m. At two minutes before
midnight, a federal judge called the prison to verify that Mason's attorney was
present should Mason wish to stop the proceedings.
At
12:05 a.m. Mason was escorted onto the chamber. At 12:08 a.m. Warden Daniel
Vasquez stepped into the chamber, pointed out the location of Mason's attorney
in the witness area, and asked Mason if he had changed his mind and wished to
stop the proceedings.
According
to Warden Vasquez, Mason said, "No Warden, I want to proceed; thank you
Warden." At 12:09 a.m. the lethal gas was introduced into the chamber.
Mason was pronounced dead at 12:23 a.m.
Mason
spent his last day visiting with family members. At approximately 6:00 p.m. he
was escorted to the death watch cell. Mason was given unlimited use of the
telephone to converse with his family members. Mason refused any last meal,
requesting only ice water while in the death watch cell. Mason told the warden
that he had no final words to impart.
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