Giuseppe Zangara attempted to kill President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 15, 1933. Although missing FDR, Zangara’s shots managed to mortally wound Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak, who died 23 days later, on March 6, 1933. Zangara was formally charged with Cermak’s murder two days later, on March 8.

At his arraignment, Zangara pleaded guilty. He said to the judge, “”You give me electric chair. I no afraid of that chair! You one of capitalists. You is crook man too. Put me in electric chair. I no care!” Judge Uly Thompson granted Zangara’s request.

On March 20, 1933 — a mere 33 days after firing the shots at Roosevelt and Cermak, and after spending a grand total of ten days on death row, Giuseppe Zangara was put to death in the electric chair. His final words were, “Push the button! Go ahead, push the button!”

By way of comparison, the average time a convicted murderer now waits on death row in the United States is 178 months (just under 15 years).

Read more about the attempted assassination of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Read more last words from famous people.

Read more fun facts about crime and criminals.