Execution Report: Rex Mays

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Mays had no prior criminal history, but an FBI behavioral analyst, Alan Brantley, testified that Mays was a continuing threat to society. Brantley said that children evoked strong emotional responses of anger and sexuality in Mays, which made him a continuing threat to society.

Mays sometimes performed for children as Uh-Oh the Clown.

A jury convicted Mays of capital murder in September 1995 and sentenced him to death. In February 1997, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals remanded the case back to the trial court for a finding regarding the admissibility of Mays' written confession. After the trial court filed its findings, the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and death sentence in October 1998. All of Mays' subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied. He did not file any appeals in the days prior to his execution.

On death row, Mays declined requests for interviews. On a web site that seeks pen pals for death row inmates, Mays listed "clowning" as one of his hobbies. Under "Dislikes," he listed "disrespectful people."

"I'm ready to go," Mays said in his last statement. "I'm going to a better place. I'm just mad for one reason: I'm going to a better place, and y'all have to go through this hell on earth." Mays also uttered a long prayer. As the lethal injection flowed into his body, he coughed once and let out a long sputter. He was pronounced dead at 6:19 p.m.

By David Carson. Posted on 25 September 2002. Name correction made on 23 September 2015.
Sources: Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Attorney General's Office, Associated Press, Houston Chronicle.