Texas death row inmate asks to delay execution so he can donate kidney

A Texas man set to be executed in less than two weeks asked to delay his execution so he can donate a kidney.

Ramiro Gonzales, 39, who is set to die by lethal injection on 13 July, has submitted formal requests to postpone his execution so he can provide a kidney donation for someone urgently needing a transplant.

Gonzales first got the idea to donate his kidney while corresponding with Michael Zoosman, a former prison chaplain and anti-death penalty activist, reported the Independent.

The two had been corresponding with each other since January 2021, exchanging letters, artwork and poetry. In one letter, Zoosman mentioned that a woman in his community was searching for a kidney donor, and Gonzales replied that he was eager to help.

While Gonzales was ultimately not a match for the woman, he remained interested in finding ways to donate his kidney.

Gonzalez also has a rare blood type, which could help those who have difficulty finding an eligible match.

The Texas criminal justice department does allow incarcerated people to donate organs and tissues.

Gonzales was deemed ineligible to donate after making a request earlier this year, said department spokesperson Amanda Hernandez to Associated Press, though she did not provide a reason why.

Gonzales is on death row after being convicted of fatally shooting Bridget Townsend, 18, of south-west Texas, in 2001.