For 25 years, Keith Gavin practiced Islam on death row at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. Serving as the prison’s imam, he led the Sunni Muslim community in prayer and adopted the Islamic name Kamar Kernell Gavin Gabuniquee. Islam, he said, saved his life.
As we spoke in the prison’s visitation room, it was 10 a.m., and Gavin faced execution by lethal injection in eight hours. He had filed a last-minute appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, though the odds of a stay were slim. We discussed another concern: his final meal. Gavin requested halal lamb, but the warden, Terry Raybon, refused to accommodate this request, a recurring conflict stemming from Gavin’s Islamic faith.
Gavin had also sued to prevent an autopsy, which he believed would be sacrilegious. After much effort, he secured permission to forgo the autopsy, contingent on having a mortuary claim his body shortly after the execution. His supporters raised funds to transport his body to Chicago for an Islamic burial.
His other requests included wearing his kufi and having his imam, Aswan Abdul-Adarr, pray with him during the execution, a plan initially approved by the warden. However, ADOC had a history of denying Muslim prisoners’ final requests, often citing security concerns. In 2019, Domineque Ray’s request for his imam to pray with him was denied, leading to criticism from higher courts.
Despite being told he could choose any meal under $25, Gavin’s request for halal lamb was denied, restricted to local Atmore restaurants that didn’t offer halal options. Gavin’s lawyer, Kelly Huggins, tried to arrange for his imam to bring the meal from Mobile, but the ADOC was unyielding.
Ultimately, Gavin’s last meal consisted of junk food from the prison vending machines, reflecting a broader pattern of resistance to his religious needs. This refusal raised concerns about other aspects of his final moments, including the ability to wear his kufi, pray with his imam, and have his body respected post-execution.
Gavin was sentenced to death in 1999 for the 1998 murder of William Clayton Jr., a crime he maintained he did not commit, alleging his cousin was responsible. Despite his unwavering faith and final appeals, the likelihood of his execution proceeding as planned was high.
Gavin’s attorneys also argued that his trial lawyers’ performance fell below constitutional standards. One lawyer admitted to being “heavily sedated” during the trial due to a broken foot. They put together a weak defense during sentencing, calling only two witnesses: his unprepared mother and a minister. Gavin’s appellate lawyers uncovered more about his background, including a childhood in poverty and violence, and his role as caregiver for 11 siblings. They argued this context could have influenced his sentencing.
In 2020, a federal district court ruled that Gavin’s trial representation was so poor it violated his right to counsel, but this decision was later overturned. Gavin’s legal team continued to fight against his execution, but when motions were rejected, he chose to represent himself.
On Thursday afternoon, Gavin received a petition from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall asking the Supreme Court to allow the execution to proceed, just an hour and a half before corrections officers were to take him away. Despite this, Gavin remained resolute, stating he was not afraid to die.
As the execution neared, Gavin’s legal team discussed the process of setting the IV lines. Gavin, who had always hated needles, shuddered at the thought. He began writing a letter to his sister, trying to focus on anything but the impending execution.
At 4:30 p.m., corrections officers, now in formal uniforms, came to take Gavin. The next time I saw him, he was strapped to a gurney in the execution chamber, his index fingers raised in an Islamic gesture. His eyes were fixed on his imam, Abdul-Adarr, as he recited his final statement, “La Ilaha Illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah.”
Though Gavin’s legal team and I watched, ADOC deviated from the agreed-upon plan. They started administering the lethal injection during prayers, rendering Gavin unable to speak. ADOC honored the agreement not to perform an autopsy and handed his body to an Islamic mortuary without issue. Gavin was buried in Chicago following Islamic traditions.
Imam Abdul-Adarr plans to file a complaint over ADOC’s treatment of Gavin, noting the failure to follow their own procedures and respect Gavin’s final requests.
