Final Meal:
One steak (medium well), fried chicken (wings and thighs), French fries, mushroom gravy, mixed steamed vegetables, chocolate fudge cake, peach cobbler, sweet tea, bread, and chef salad with Italian dressing.

Final Words:
Black made no final statement.

Internet Sources:

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Executed Offenders (Christopher Black)

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Texas Attorney General Media Advisory

AUSTIN - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott offers the following information on Christopher Black, Sr., who is scheduled to be executed after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, 2003.

On Aug. 10, 1998, Christopher Black, Sr., was sentenced to death for the capital murder of Katrese Houston, his 17-month-old step-granddaughter, which occurred in Killeen, Texas, on Feb. 7, 1998. A summary of the evidence presented at trial follows.

FACTS OF THE CRIME

In February 1998, angry about the end of his marriage, Christopher Black, Sr., recorded on cassette tapes why he wanted to kill his family and applied for the purchase of a handgun. A few days later, Black purchased a semiautomatic pistol. On February 7, the day after he acquired the weapon, Black visited his estranged wife at her home in Killeen, Texas. There, in the presence of Deidre Blackburn, a friend of his wife, he shot his wife and his 19-month-old step-granddaughter as she sat in a high chair; he fired one round into his infant daughter. Blackburn escaped unhurt to a neighbor's house. All three of the victims died of the gunshot wounds. Immediately after the killings, Black called 911 and told a police dispatcher that he had just killed his wife, daughter and granddaughter. Black was arrested at the scene and later indicted by a Bell County grand jury for the murder of a person under the age of six years, a capital crime in Texas. Blackburn testified against Black at his trial for this crime.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On March 25, 1998, a grand jury in Bell County, Texas, indicted Black for intentionally and knowingly using a firearm to kill Katrese Houston, a child younger than six years of age. Black pleaded "not guilty," but on Aug. 5, 1998, a guilty verdict was returned. Following a separate punishment hearing, the same jury answered the future dangerousness issue affirmatively and the mitigation issue negatively. In accordance with Texas law, the trial court therefore sentenced Black to the death penalty. On Sept. 13, 2000, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in a published en banc opinion. Black did not seek a writ of certiorari in the Supreme Court at that time.

On June 2, 2000, Black initiated state habeas proceedings by filing an 11-claim petition in the convicting court. On March 7, 2001, the Court of Criminal Appeals denied Black's application for state habeas relief, and the federal district court denied federal habeas relief on Jan. 17, 2002. In a published opinion issued on Dec. 11, 2002, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals denied Black's request for a certificate of appealability, affirmed the district court's decision and, on Jan. 15, 2003, denied Black's petition for rehearing.

On Feb. 6, 2003, the trial court set Black's execution for July 9, 2003. On Feb. 21, 2003, Black petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari. On April 21, 2003, the Supreme Court denied the petition.

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

Black has no previous criminal record.

ProDeathPenalty.com

A jury took only 15 minutes Wednesday to convict a man of capital murder in the shooting death of a toddler. The same jury deliberated 7 hours before sentencing him to death. Christopher Black, 37, of Killeen was convicted of killing 18-month-old Katrease Houston, his wife's granddaughter, on Feb. 7, 1998. Black was also charged with killing his wife, 36-year-old Gwendolyn Black, and the couple's daughter, 15-week-old Christina Black. Relatives claim the triple homicide occurred after Black learned his wife planned to divorce him. Black claimed he shot and killed his wife because she tormented and belittled him and physically abused his 10-year-old son.

UPDATE: A retired Army sergeant was executed Wednesday for shooting his 17-month-old step-granddaughter to death in her high chair during a rampage in which his wife and 5-month-old daughter also were killed. Christopher Black declined to make any statement before dying by injection. He groaned as the drugs began flowing and was pronounced dead seven minutes later. Black was convicted of killing Katrease Houston at the Killeen home of his estranged wife Gwendolyn Black, the toddler's grandmother. Katrease was found slumped in a high chair, shot five times in the chest. Her grandmother was shot 10 times. Black's daughter, Christina Marie, was shot once. "I ran out of bullets," Black told a 911 operator he called after the Feb. 7, 1998, attack.

The U.S. Supreme Court in April refused to consider Black's appeal and no additional appeals were made, according to his lawyer, Jack Hurley. "We still miss our loved ones but we won't be thinking about him," Mardelouis Hawthorne, Gwendolyn Black's sister, said after watching Black die. Black bought a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol the day before the shooting. He mailed cassette tapes to relatives explaining plans to kill his 36-year-old wife and anyone else in the house. The tapes were timed to arrive after the shooting. Relatives said Gwendolyn Black, who worked as an elementary school teacher, was seeking a divorce. It took a jury in Killeen 15 minutes to convict Black of the capital murder of Katrease. In Texas, murder of a child under the age of 6 can invoke the death penalty, and the jury deliberated about seven hours before choosing that punishment. Black was charged, but never tried, in the slayings of his wife and daughter.

Texas Execution Information Center by David Carson.

Christopher Black Sr., 43, was executed by lethal injection on 9 July 2003 in Huntsville, Texas for killing three members of his family.

On 7 February 1998, Black, then 38, went to the house in Killeen where his wife, Gwendolyn, 36, was living. He shot Gwendolyn ten to twelve times with a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. Deidre Blackburn, a friend of Gwendolyn's, was in the house and saw Black shoot his wife. She fled to a neighbor's house after he started shooting. Black then shot his 5-month-old daughter, Christina Marie Black, once. Next, he shot his 17-month-old step granddaughter, Katrese Houston, five times in the chest. All of his victims died of their wounds. He then called 9-1-1 and told the operator that he had just killed his wife, daughter, and granddaughter. "I ran out of bullets," he said.

When police arrived, Black was unarmed and holding Christina to his chest. Katrese was slumped over in a high chair. "We approached him and he said he wasn't going to put the baby down on the cold ground," officer Eric Bradley said. "As I reached up to grab the baby from him, he said, 'I want to kiss my baby.' I said 'go ahead.'" Bradley said that as he pulled the baby toward him, he saw that she was dead.

In addition to the police report and Blackburn's testimony, the jury heard some cassette tape recordings Black had made prior to the crime. In these recordings, he stated that he was angry over the end of his marriage and that he planned to kill Gwendolyn and anyone else in the house. He also explained how he purchased a handgun the day before the murders, after he had filled out an application and waited several days for a background check. He had no prior criminal history. Black mailed the tapes to relatives so that they would receive them after the shooting.

In August 1998, a jury convicted Black of the capital murder of Katrese Houston and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in September 2000. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

On death row, Black declined to speak with reporters. He did not make a last statement at his execution. He was pronounced dead at 6:19 p.m.

Houston Chronicle

"Killer Who `Ran Out of Bullets' Silent Before Execution." (AP July 9, 2003)

HUNTSVILLE -- A retired Army sergeant was executed Wednesday evening for murdering his 17-month-old step-granddaughter in a 1998 massacre in which his wife and 5-month-old daughter also were gunned down. Asked by the warden if he wanted to make a final statement, Christopher Black Sr., said no. As the drugs began flowing, he made a groaning sigh and was pronounced dead at 6:19 p.m., seven minutes later.

Black was convicted of killing Katrease Houston at the Killeen home of his estranged wife Gwendolyn Black, the toddler's grandmother. Katrease was found slumped in a high chair. She had been shot five times in the chest. Her grandmother was shot 10 times. Black's daughter, Christina Marie, was shot once. "I ran out of bullets," Black told a 911 operator he called after the Feb. 7, 1998, attack.

Black is the 18th condemned Texas inmate to receive lethal injection this year and the second in as many weeks. Two more are set to die later this month. The U.S. Supreme Court in April refused to consider Black's appeal and no additional appeals were made, his lawyer, Jack Hurley, said.

Black bought a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol the day before the shooting. He mailed cassette tapes to relatives explaining plans to kill his 36-year-old wife and anyone else in the house. The tapes were timed to arrive after the shooting. The couple had married just over three years earlier but relatives said Gwendolyn Black, who worked as an elementary school teacher in nearby Copperas Cove after leaving the Army, was seeking a divorce because she received little help from her husband with the children and he had moved out of town to take a security job. Police who responded to 911 calls from Black and neighbors found him unarmed and holding his daughter to his chest. "We approached him and he said he wasn't going to put the baby down on the cold ground," officer Eric Bradley said. "As I reached up to grab the baby from him, he said: 'I want to kiss my baby.' I said go ahead. "As I pulled the baby toward me, the baby's head kind of just rolled to the left. ... The eyes were open, fixed, no pulse, no respiration, no nothing."

It took a jury in Killeen 15 minutes to convict Black of capital murder of Katrease. In Texas, murder of a child under the age of 6 can be a death penalty case and the same jury deliberated about seven hours before deciding his punishment. "I don't recall a case that was any more aggravated or any more vicious in the way the crime was committed and the consequences," Lon Curtis, the former assistant district attorney in Bell County who prosecuted Black, said this week. "The image of that baby, the little girl, slumped over in her high chair with five rounds in the chest. ... I wish I hadn't been reminded of that."

Black declined to speak from death row with reporters. "My days are long and sad," he wrote on a Web site where inmates seek pen pals. "I do not want romance or money, the only thing that I want is a friend." "He made his choices," Bradley said. "And that's where he's at."

TheDeathouse.Com

"Man Who Killed Wife, Child and Granddaughter Executed in Texas." (July 9, 2003)

Huntsville - A man who murdered his estranged wife, five-month-old daughter and his step-grandchild was executed by lethal injection at the state prison here Wednesday night. Before the murders, Christopher Black, 43, had mailed a cassette tape to family members explaining why he was going to kill his wife and others in the house. The murders occurred Feb. 7, 1998 in Killeen. Black's wife was going to divorce him, prosecutors said.

Black made no last statement before being put to death. The lethal injection began at 6:12 p.m. and Black was pronounced dead at 6:19 p.m. Black had requested a last meal which included steak, fried chicken with mushroom gravy and chocolate fudge cake. A family member and several of Black's friends, along with several member of the victims' family, were on hand to witness the execution.

When authorities arrived at the Bell County home, Black was holding his five-month-old daughter, Christiana, in his arms. He had just shot and killed the child, along with his wife, Gwendolyn and step-grandchild, Katrease Houston, 17-months. Black had called police after the slayings to tell them what he had just done. Prosecutors said Black became angry at the end of his marriage. Court documents stated that Black recorded a cassette tape of why he wanted to kill his family and bought a gun a day before the shooting.

Black became the 18th condemned killer put to death in Texas in 2003 - the highest number in the nation. Black was a retired Army sergeant.

Deathrow.at

Execution date set for July 09, 2003

I am death row prisoner on Texas death row since 1998. My days are long and sad. The only thing that kept me living until yet was writing. I do not want romance or money, the only thing that I want is a friend. A friend to dream with, to talk to, to have fun with etc. I am interesseted in literature, sports, jazz music, family, animals (cats), day dreaming and a lot more. I would like everybody who writes to me and I am thankful if YOU write to me. I will answer all your letters. It does not matter if you are female or male. People with ideas and who are interesting are my friends. Do not think, that you might be not interesting. If you have sometimes strange ideas about future, religions, cooking and the world, please do not be shy and write to me. I hope to hear soon from you out there in the living world. Your new friend Christopher.

Christopher Black Senior # 999277
Polunsky Unit
3872 F.M. 350 South
Livingston, Texas 77351 USA

The Huntsville Item

"July 09, 2003 "Killeen Man Executed for 1998 Triple Killings," by Brian Lacy. (July 9, 2003)

Christopher Black was executed Wednesday night inside the Huntsville "Walls" Unit for the 1998 murder of his wife, 5-month-old daughter and 17-month-old granddaughter. Black did not have a final statement. After the lethal dose began he made a snoring sound before exhaling one last time. He was pronounced dead at 6:19 p.m.

Black was convicted of killing Katrease Houston, the 17-month-old, at the Killeen home of his estranged wife, Gwendolyn Black. Katrease was found slumped in a high chair. She had been shot five times in the chest. Gwendolyn Black was shot 10 times, and her daughter, Christina Marie, was shot once. ''I ran out of bullets,'' Black told a 911 operator he called after the Feb. 7, 1998, attack.

At a press conference after the execution, Gwendolyn's family was asked if they were disappointed Black did not acknowledge them or have anything to say. "I personally was not disappointed," said Mardelouis Hawthorne, Gwendolyn's sister. "Other family members have other feelings. I'm glad it went as well as it did. We were well-prepared for it and that helped minimize the emotion and anxiety we experienced. "I really didn't want to see him. We're all here to support our parents who wanted to be here." ''It's really not satisfaction, really a kind of feeling you can bring it to closure, but really won't be closure,'' added her brother, Alvin Prigett, who wore a T-shirt with Gwendolyn's picture on it. ''It'll always be on your mind and you think about it from time to time.''

Black bought a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol the day before the shooting. He mailed cassette tapes to relatives explaining plans to kill his 36-year-old wife and anyone else in the house. The tapes were timed to arrive after the shooting. The couple had married just three years earlier, but relatives said Gwendolyn Black, who worked as an elementary school teacher in nearby Copperas Cove after leaving the Army, was seeking a divorce because she received little help from her husband with the children and he had moved out of town to take a security job.

Police who responded to 911 calls from Black and neighbors found him unarmed and holding his daughter to his chest. ''We approached him and he said he wasn't going to put the baby down on the cold ground,'' officer Eric Bradley said. ''As I reached up to grab the baby from him, he said: 'I want to kiss my baby.' I said 'go ahead.' ''As I pulled the baby toward me, the baby's head kind of just rolled to the left. The eyes were open, fixed, no pulse, no respiration, no nothing.''

It took a jury in Killeen 15 minutes to convict Black of capital murder of Katrease. In Texas, murder of a child under the age of 6 can be a death penalty case and the same jury deliberated about seven hours before deciding his punishment. "I don't recall a case that was any more aggravated or any more vicious in the way the crime was committed and the consequences,'' Lon Curtis, the former assistant district attorney in Bell County who prosecuted Black, said this week. ''The image of that baby, the little girl, slumped over in her high chair with five rounds in the chest ... I wish I hadn't been reminded of that.''

Black declined to speak from death row with reporters. ''My days are long and sad,'' he wrote on a Web site where inmates seek pen pals. ''I do not want romance or money, the only thing that I want is a friend.'' ''He made his choices,'' Bradley said. "And that's where he's at.'' (The Associated Press contributed to this story.)

CNNNews

"Texas Man Who Killed Three Family Members Executed." (July 10, 2003)

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) -- A retired Army sergeant was executed Wednesday for shooting his 17-month-old step-granddaughter to death in her high chair during a rampage in which his wife and 5-month-old daughter also were killed. Christopher Black declined to make any statement before dying by injection. He groaned as the drugs began flowing and was pronounced dead seven minutes later.

Black was convicted of killing Katrease Houston at the Killeen home of his estranged wife Gwendolyn Black, the toddler's grandmother. Katrease was found slumped in a high chair, shot five times in the chest. Her grandmother was shot 10 times. Black's daughter, Christina Marie, was shot once. "I ran out of bullets," Black told a 911 operator he called after the February 7, 1998, attack.

Black is the 18th Texas inmate to die by injection this year and the second in as many weeks. Two more are scheduled for execution later this month. The U.S. Supreme Court in April refused to consider Black's appeal and no additional appeals were made, according to his lawyer, Jack Hurley.

"We still miss our loved ones but we won't be thinking about him," Mardelouis Hawthorne, Gwendolyn Black's sister, said after watching Black die. Black bought a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol the day before the shooting. He mailed cassette tapes to relatives explaining plans to kill his 36-year-old wife and anyone else in the house. The tapes were timed to arrive after the shooting. Relatives said Gwendolyn Black, who worked as an elementary school teacher, was seeking a divorce.

It took a jury in Killeen 15 minutes to convict Black of the capital murder of Katrease. In Texas, murder of a child under the age of 6 can invoke the death penalty, and the jury deliberated about seven hours before choosing that punishment. Black was charged, but never tried, in the slayings of his wife and daughter.

National Coalition to abolish the Death Penalty

Christopher Black (TX) - July 9, 2003

The state of Texas is scheduled to execute Christopher Black July 9 for fatally shooting his wife, daughter, and step granddaughter in 1997. Black, an African American man, apparently called 911 shortly after the murders and told a police dispatcher that he had just killed three of his family members.

Prior to the murders, Black had a distinguished military record and no prior history of criminal activity. A psychiatrist testified at trial that Black’s violent, destructive episode resulted from distress over his marital problems. Although Black claims he wanted to testify himself at the penalty phase, his attorneys chose not to put him on the stand; on appeal, he has argued that this constituted ineffective assistance of counsel.

Few questions linger concerning the events of Feb. 7, 1998, when Black’s shooting spree left a 36-year-old woman and two small children dead. However, his case displays the unnecessary nature of capital punishment in modern society. Black, who did very well in the military, would likely have no problem adjusting to a prison environment, where he could begin a process of healing and reconciliation. Instead, he is enduring the psychological torture of awaiting execution.

The institution of the death penalty has long been hiding behind the false justifications of deterrence and protection. The reality is that it has little to do with these abstractions; capital punishment is about revenge.

This pending execution is a product of the state’s idea that violence is a suitable solution to the problem of crime. Texas has executed more than 300 people since the reinstatement of capital punishment in 1976, and its flawed system continues to reveal itself through the fact that the federal courts regularly intervene on eve-of-execution appeals due to oversights and mistakes in the process. Please contact Gov. Rick Perry to protest the scheduled execution of Christopher Black and request a re-evaluation of the Texas death penalty system.

Black v. State, 26 S.W.3d 895 (Tex.Crim.App.,2000) (Direct Appeal)

Defendant was convicted in the District Court, Bell County, Joe Carroll, J., of capital murder and was sentenced to death. On automatic appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeals held that: (1) child capital-murder provision did not violate equal protection on ground that it created a capital-murder offense which did not require proof of an aggravating element or defendant's knowledge of that element, and (2) trial court could sua sponte excuse a prospective juror with hearing impairment out of defendant's presence. appellant raises five points of error, but does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence to support the verdict. We shall affirm. Meyers, J., filed a concurring opinion in which Price and Johnson, JJ., joined.