Ponchai Kamau Wilkerson (โพนชัย กาเมา วิลเกอร์สัน), of African-American and Thai descent,[2] was born in Houston, Texas.
Wilkerson left briefly twice, and pulled a Glock pistol from his jacket upon returning the second time and fired the gun once without warning at Yi Chung Myong's temple from a distance of 30 cm (12 inches).
[6] Wilkerson exhausted his final appeal to Judge Jan Krocker in February 2000, a dramatic scene involving community activist Njeri Shakur (member of the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement and the Allen Parkway Village Residents Council) shouting at Judge Krocker, which led to a contempt charge against Shakur; she served 30 days in the Harris County Jail.
On February 12, 2000, Wilkerson and fellow death row inmate Howard Guidry took 57-year-old guard Jeanette Bledsoe hostage at the Terrell Unit (now Allan B. Polunsky Unit) outside Livingston, Texas[7] after Wilkerson apparently opened his cell door's lock.
On the day of his execution, Wilkerson refused to leave his cell at the Terrell Unit prison near Livingston, Texas.