0 . ▁ ▁C riminal ▁activities ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Wil k erson ▁and ▁Wil ton ▁Beth ony ▁entered ▁Y i ▁Ch ung ▁My ong ' s ▁j ew ell ery ▁shop ▁Royal ▁Gold ▁Jew ell ery ▁Store ▁in ▁Houston , ▁Texas . ▁They ▁had ▁been ▁on ▁a ▁crime ▁sp ree ▁for ▁a ▁month . ▁Wil k erson ▁left ▁briefly ▁twice , ▁and ▁pulled ▁a ▁G lock ▁p istol ▁from ▁his ▁jack et ▁upon ▁returning ▁the ▁second ▁time ▁and ▁fired ▁the ▁gun ▁once ▁without ▁warning ▁at ▁Y i ▁Ch ung ▁My ong ' s ▁temple ▁from ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁ 3 0   cm ▁( 1 2   in ches ). ▁During ▁the ▁trial , ▁Wil k erson ▁test ified ▁that ▁the ▁murder ▁was ▁not ▁committed ▁in ▁self - def ense ▁nor ▁was ▁it ▁an ▁accident . ▁ ▁The ▁Texas ▁Court ▁of ▁C riminal ▁App e als ▁aff ir med ▁his ▁conv iction ▁and ▁sentence ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁He ▁also ▁appe aled ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als ▁for ▁the ▁Fif th ▁Circ uit ▁and ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁who ▁both ▁denied ▁his ▁appe als . ▁ ▁During ▁Thanks g iving ▁Day , ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Wil k erson ▁and ▁seven ▁other ▁death ▁row ▁in m ates ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁an ▁attempted ▁prison ▁break . ▁ ▁One ▁in mate , ▁Martin ▁G ur ule , ▁managed ▁to ▁escape ,