Capital Capital PunishmentPunishment

botchesbotches

““Old Sparky”Old Sparky”Cruel and Unusual?Cruel and Unusual?

Sing Sing Chair – 613 ExecutionsSing Sing Chair – 613 Executions

Other nicknamesnicknamesin the 25 states25 states that used it were:Sizzling SallySizzling Sally,Old SmokeyOld Smokey,

Grusome Gertie,Grusome Gertie,& & YYellowellow M Mamma amma (AL)(AL)

““Old Sparky” – electric chairOld Sparky” – electric chairMore then 4,460 men4,460 men & 2626 womenwomen have gone to the “hot seat”“hot seat”

since its introduction in 18901890, and the history of electrocution is

dotted with ghoulish and bizarre incidentsghoulish and bizarre incidents. The prisoner enters

a death chamber and is strapped into an electric chair. Metal

plates, called electrodeselectrodes, are attached to the crown of the

prisoner’s head and to the calf of one leg. An electric current

passes from one electrode to another thru the prisoner’s body.

The current should produce immediate loss of consciousnessimmediate loss of consciousness

and almost immediate death. Medical experts

believe the person feels no painno pain (painless). In

18901890, New YorkNew York became the first statefirst state to

electrocute a criminal. Texas Texas is one of 37 states37 states

allowing capital punishment [drug injectionsdrug injections]. NY had 695 executions including 9 women.NY had 695 executions including 9 women.Texas had 361 electrocutions.Texas had 361 electrocutions.

Some would say electrocution is cruel and unusualcruel and unusual. Evidence

seems to show that we have yet to find a humane method of

execution. The authors of the Constitution were fearful of certain

Barbaric punishmentsBarbaric punishments such as tarring and featheringtarring and feathering and

whippingwhipping that had occurred during the colonial era. After years of

hanginghanging convicted criminals by rope, in 1890, New York introduced

the electric chair to the U.S., hoping that it would “be more“be more

humane than hanging.”humane than hanging.” After viewing a number of hangings, including

that of a woman who slowly strangled to deathwoman who slowly strangled to death, NY decided

the noose had to gonoose had to go. To get support for electrocution, Harold Harold

BrownBrown went around the country demonstrating the system’s

death dealing potential. He electrocuted stray dogs and cats electrocuted stray dogs and cats

& even horses& even horses. He even electrocutedelectrocuted an an orangutanorangutan, although

the orangutan caught fireorangutan caught fire. No problemNo problem, a human being a human being

wasn’t covered with hairwasn’t covered with hair. The electric chair was bornelectric chair was born.

““Old Sparky” in Texas fried 361 between 1924-64Old Sparky” in Texas fried 361 between 1924-64

William Kemmler – 1890 - first electric chair William Kemmler – 1890 - first electric chair victim who killed his mistress with a hatchet.victim who killed his mistress with a hatchet.

Kemmler’s execution was notnot a a happy onehappy one. A first jolt of 17 17 secondsseconds

failed to kill him and shocked doctors watched Kemmler’s breast Kemmler’s breast

heave and his heart resume beatingheave and his heart resume beating. Panic ensued in the execution

chamber and finally the current was turned on again for another 70another 70

seconds at 1,300 voltsseconds at 1,300 volts. Some of the witnesses faintedwitnesses fainted and another

retched and bolted from the room. Finally, Kemmler was good and deadgood and dead.

However, the flesh on his back was badly burnedflesh on his back was badly burned and his musclesmuscles

carbonizedcarbonized. When his body was autopsied, a witness described his fleshhis flesh

as well cooked beefas well cooked beef. As time passed, executioners learned to watch thewatch the

condemned person’s handscondemned person’s hands. When they turn pinkturn pink, other partsother parts of the body,

nearer to the source of the electrical charge, are far darker and closer tofar darker and closer to

being burnedbeing burned. “Over-burning” “Over-burning” still occurred. It has been argued that

electrocution causes no pain and almost instant unconsciousness,

if not actual death. Evidence indicates that while electric current destroyselectric current destroyshuman tissue in its path, it fails to destroy vital organshuman tissue in its path, it fails to destroy vital organs, thus causing tremendoustremendous

painpain. Also, different people react in different manners to electric currents.

The “Usual Electric Chair”The “Usual Electric Chair” The usual chair had two legs in backtwo legs in back and a heavier single leg in frontsingle leg in front,

all bolted to the floor. The extra-wide armsextra-wide arms are fitted with straps to hold

the arms of the victim rigid. Other straps go around his chest and

abdomen. The wiring around the chair is covered with rubber matting.

Ideally, an electrocution is a 3-minute drill3-minute drill, with the prisoner strapped

into the chair quickly. Inexperienced guards practice with the straps in advance to

avoid fumbling delays. A tight masktight mask is placed over the prisoners’ face to hide thehide the

facial contortionsfacial contortions when the “juice”“juice” is turned on. The mask is especially tightmask is especially tight

around the eyesaround the eyes to keep them from popping outkeep them from popping out of their sockets.

There are no long goodbyesno long goodbyes or last statementslast statements. And the lights never dimlights never dim in the

rest of the prison, because the chair is always powered by a separate source.

Hollywood prefers the light-dimming routinelight-dimming routine because it gives a scriptwriter an

opportunity to stage a prisoner protest or achieve special dramatic effect.

The executioner throws a switch and the raging current pitches the victimraging current pitches the victim

against the binding with terrible forceagainst the binding with terrible force. His hair stands uphair stands up and his flesh turns theflesh turns the

color of beetscolor of beets. If the executioner fails to flip the switch when the prisoner’s lungs

are empty, there is a gurgling noisegurgling noise as air is forced from the lungs by the shock of

the current. The first jolt should be 2,000 voltsfirst jolt should be 2,000 volts or slightly more, after which it is

cut back to 1,000 volts 1,000 volts to prevent what witnesses might take as unseemly

burning of the bodyburning of the body. At his stage the victim may pass waste. The tradition

of a last hearty meallast hearty meal for the condemned is truly a tribulation for the

executioner. Mouth foamMouth foam will seep out from under the hood. Often, the

electrical jolt may be repeated to make sure the victim is dead. It is a

worthwhile precaution. When Arthur GrimesArthur Grimes was executed in Alabama in

1954, the doctor found his heart still beatinghis heart still beating. He stepped back and waited

for it to stop, but instead of expiring, Grimes started to shudder violentlyGrimes started to shudder violently

and thrash against the strapsthrash against the straps. He started to come back to consciousnesscome back to consciousness,

gasping and sucking in airgasping and sucking in air. It took 7 full minutes of juice, six massive jolts7 full minutes of juice, six massive jolts

in allin all, to end his lifeend his life.

In 1946, Louisiana tried to execute Willie FrancisWillie Francis, 17, by electrocution.

He killed his employer. Francis survived the ordealsurvived the ordeal and returned to his

cell. He lawyer appealed to the supreme court that his life should be

spared because he had already been executedhe had already been executed. But – he was executedagain the next year.

In 1983, Alabama tried to execute John EvansJohn Evans, and it required 3 separate3 separate

charges of 1,900 volts eachcharges of 1,900 volts each over a 14-minute period before being declareddead. There was an overbearing stench of burnt fleshoverbearing stench of burnt flesh but he did not die until after

the 3rd charge.

Botched Jobs - HangingsBotched Jobs - Hangings

In 1930 in West Virginia, Frank MyerFrank Myer, a wife murdererwife murderer, was

hanged. He was a bad hanging victimbad hanging victim, being heavysetheavyset with

short neckshort neck and what were described as “soft bones.”“soft bones.” When

the trapdoor opened, Myer’s body crashed to the concreteMyer’s body crashed to the concrete

floorfloor, followed by a second thud as his head landed nearbysecond thud as his head landed nearby.

Several of the witnesses got sick as the head rolled a few feethead rolled a few feet

In their direction, and after the execution some of them

allowed they would never again attend a hangingnever again attend a hanging. The sheer

messiness of hanging finally led to the abandonment of the

method by most states, which opted for either the electric

chair or the gas chamber.

Botched Jobs - ShootingsBotched Jobs - Shootings This might be the most humane methodmost humane method of all. The man is strapped strapped

down in a chairdown in a chair against an oval-shaped canvas-covered wall. A doctor locates the heart preciselylocates the heart precisely and pins a cloth target directly pins a cloth target directly over itover it. Unless the victim objects, he is hoodedhooded. 20 feet away in a canvas enclosure, five sharpshootersfive sharpshooters are given .20 caliber rifles.20 caliber rifles, each loaded with a single cartridgesingle cartridge. OneOne, however, receives a blankreceives a blank so that each marksmen can later rationalize he did not do the killinglater rationalize he did not do the killing. They place their weapons through slits in the canvas, and when the order is given, they fire in unisonfire in unison. Four bullets thump into the heartFour bullets thump into the heart, making deathmaking death virtually instantaneous and probably painlessinstantaneous and probably painless.

Sounds simple so why don’t more states use this method. It is very very bloodybloody, and society generally does not like a mess around to remind it that a human being has just been slaughtered. Another reason, the marksmen may turn “chicken”marksmen may turn “chicken” and cheatcheat. If a marksman wants to make sure he does not fire the fatal bullet, he will aim “off-heart”aim “off-heart” and thus be able to figure that the victim died long before his shot could have taken any effect. In 1951, the height of official embarrassment was achieved when all four marksmen hit the victim, Elisio MaresElisio Mares, on the right side of the chest. He bled to death slowlybled to death slowly. Because of such inefficiencies, death by firing squad never will gain much popularity.

Botched JobsBotched Jobs To the public, there was something fascinating about botched-up jobs.

Survival after deathSurvival after death in the electric chair has always been an intriguing idea.

A number of condemned persons have swallowed all types of metal swallowed all types of metal objectsobjects under the belief that somehow this would cause the electric chair to “short.” “short.” In the 1950s a prisoner named Donald SnyderDonald Snyder entered his Sing Sing death cell weighing 150 poundsweighing 150 pounds and soon started eating started eating and eating and eatingand eating and eating. He had come up with the novel idea of getting too fat to fit into the chairtoo fat to fit into the chair. Weight-wise he did remarkably, eventually tipping the scales at over 300 poundstipping the scales at over 300 pounds. His request for the traditional last meal was, “pork chops, eggs and plenty of ‘em.”“pork chops, eggs and plenty of ‘em.” He spent his last few hours speculating with a guard how the newspapers would go wild newspapers would go wild when it turned out he couldn’t be executedwhen it turned out he couldn’t be executed. Unfortunately, “The hot “The hot seat fitted him as though it had been made to order.”seat fitted him as though it had been made to order.”

Harry Roberts in NYHarry Roberts in NY told the prison doctor as he was strapped into the chair, “Doc, my last act is going to be for science. We’ll see how fast “Doc, my last act is going to be for science. We’ll see how fast this juice really works. The moment I feel it, I’ll wiggle this finger.”this juice really works. The moment I feel it, I’ll wiggle this finger.” It never wiggled.

One doctor at Sing Sing, who witnessed over 200 executions, said, “The “The effect of electricity is instantaneous brain death. What observers see effect of electricity is instantaneous brain death. What observers see are muscle contractions, not agony.”are muscle contractions, not agony.”

Botched Jobs – Gas ChamberBotched Jobs – Gas Chamber During the 20s & 30s, it was hyped as truly superior to electrocution and

hanging. The most famous gas chamberfamous gas chamber was the one at San QuentinSan Quentin. Built in 1938, it has been the site of some of the nation’s most dramatic nation’s most dramatic executionsexecutions, including Barbara GrahamBarbara Graham and Caryl ChessmanCaryl Chessman. The gas chamber is designed with two chairsdesigned with two chairs so that two executions can take two executions can take place at the same timeplace at the same time. When kidnapper and murderess Bonnie HeadyBonnie Heady died in the Missouri gas chamber along with her partner, Carl hallCarl hall, she asked guards not to strap in her man too tightly. “You got plenty of “You got plenty of room, honey,”room, honey,” Heady asked. He replied, “Yes mama.”“Yes mama.” Thus satisfied, the woman smiled and sat back to breathe the deadly fumes.

Under the chairs are shallow pans shallow pans into which tubes from a small vestibule are fed a mixture of water and sulfuric acidsulfuric acid. A lever is pulled and bags with 16 one-ounce cyanide pellets16 one-ounce cyanide pellets are dropped into the mixture. Fumes rise swiftly and the victim dies quicklyvictim dies quickly once in a whileonce in a while. Some reporters who have covered various types of executions regard the gas chamber as the most vile and inhumane of allmost vile and inhumane of all.

Essentially, the victim strangles to deathstrangles to death without the courtesy of a ropewithout the courtesy of a rope. He is forced to do it to himself as he battles for oxygen that is no longer there, except in a “frozen” state that is useless to the body. The condemned person is often told that as soon as he smells an odorsmells an odor

Botched Jobs – Gas ChamberBotched Jobs – Gas Chamber [continued][continued]

resembling “rotten eggs”,“rotten eggs”, he should count to 10count to 10 and then take several deep breathstake several deep breaths. This, he is told, will cause him to pass out quicklypass out quickly and die without paindie without pain. However, it doesn’t happen that waydoesn’t happen that way. Man’s instinct is to live. The victim will gasp and wheezegasp and wheeze, struggling for air. His mouth opens and shuts like a beached fishbeached fish. Often, he screams or screams or criescries. Choking, he thrashes about. He pulls on his bondspulls on his bonds. Occasionally, it is said, a victim will break an arm freebreak an arm free, usually in the process severing the skinsevering the skin, so that his blood blood may spurt over the windowsmay spurt over the windows thru which the witnesses are watching.

The asphyxiation process is slowasphyxiation process is slow. The thrashing victim’s thrashing victim’s face turns face turns purplepurple and his eyes bulge and his eyes bulge. He starts to drooldrool. A swollen tongueswollen tongue hangs outhangs out. But death still hasn’t occurred. The death process takes 8-9 minutesdeath process takes 8-9 minutes. The recordrecord, although

statistics are not definitive, appears to be 11 minutes11 minutes.

Barbara Graham’s Death [“I Want To Live”]Barbara Graham’s Death [“I Want To Live”] Barbara helped rob an elderly woman and suffocated her withsuffocated her with

a pillowa pillow. In the movie, “I Want To Live”,“I Want To Live”, the main jolt comes

in the final minutes, when viewers share with her the panic & resignation that precede execution. The movie execution

makes for difficult viewing (even in her tailored suit) as Susan

is strapped into the chair in San Quentin prison’s gas chamber.

Executioner: “When you hear the pellets drop, count to 10. “When you hear the pellets drop, count to 10. Take a deep breath. It will be easier that way.”Take a deep breath. It will be easier that way.”

Barbara Graham: “How do you know?”“How do you know?”

The cyanide pelletscyanide pellets plop into the vat of acid: fumes rise; Graham’s Graham’s head snaps back; falls forward; jerks back again; droops to the head snaps back; falls forward; jerks back again; droops to the right; and then falls gently forward one last timeright; and then falls gently forward one last time.

Powerful stuff – but not nearly so wrenching a sight as an actual execution by lethal gas. San Quentin’s warden once described a typical gas-chamber deathtypical gas-chamber death as follows:

““At first there is evidence of extreme horror, pain and strangling. The At first there is evidence of extreme horror, pain and strangling. The eyes pop. The skin turns purple, and the victim begins to drool. It is a eyes pop. The skin turns purple, and the victim begins to drool. It is a horrible sight. Witnesses faint. It is finally as though he has gone to horrible sight. Witnesses faint. It is finally as though he has gone to sleep. The body, however, is not disfigured or mutilated in any way.”sleep. The body, however, is not disfigured or mutilated in any way.”

Caryl Chessman [ the Caryl Chessman [ the “Red-Light Bandit”“Red-Light Bandit”]]

Chessman was a paroled robber/rapistparoled robber/rapist. His case engendered more anti-capital punishment sentimentmore anti-capital punishment sentiment than any other case, before or since. He was known as the “Red-Light Bandit.”“Red-Light Bandit.” He used a flashing red lightflashing red light on his car roof, resembling that used by the police to victimize couples on lonely roads in the L.A. area. He would make the female come to his car and rape them. He wrote a book, “Cell 2455:“Cell 2455: Death Row”Death Row”, which became a best sellerbest seller. After his death, it was revealed that a federal judge had granted him a last last minute reprieveminute reprieve, but the judge’s clerk had lost precious minutes dialing a wrong number before getting thru to the death chamber, & the cyanide pellets had been dropped only moments before word of the stay got through to San Quentin’s warden.

Chessman’s ordeal of dying in 1960ordeal of dying in 1960 went this way. He tried to make tried to make his dying easyhis dying easy, inhaling as quickly and deeply as he could. By prearrangement with a newsman witness, Chessman was to signal if signal if the pain became agonythe pain became agony. Shortly after his ordeal began, Chessman looked towards the reporter and nodded his head vigorouslynodded his head vigorously, the signal that the dying process was indeed agonizingdying process was indeed agonizing. Finally, his head head slumped to his chestslumped to his chest and his tongue popped outtongue popped out. A woman reporter

Caryl Chessman [ Caryl Chessman [ thethe “R“Red-ed-Light Bandit”Light Bandit”] ] [continued][continued]

described his death this way. “I thought Chessman must be “I thought Chessman must be deaddead but nono, there was another agonizing period during which he choked on the gashe choked on the gas. And againagain. And then againthen again. There was a long period, another deep gaspanother deep gasp. At the fourth such strainingfourth such straining, Chessman’s head lolledhead lolled in a half circlein a half circle, coming forward so that he faced downward with his chin almost touching his chest. This must be the end. But the dying went ondying went on.

A deep gaspdeep gasp, his head came uphead came up for an instant, dropped forwarddropped forward again. After two or three deep breathsthree deep breaths, which seemed something like sobs, a trembling set up throughout his bodytrembling set up throughout his body. Along the line of his broad shoulders, down the arms to his fingers, I could see the tremor run. Then I saw his pale face grow suddenly paler, though I had not thought that it could be after his 12 years in prison12 years in prison. A little saliva came from saliva came from his lipshis lips, spotted the white shirt that a condemned man wears for his last appearance. Even more color drained from his face and the furrows in his head smoothed out a little. And I knew he was dead…”he was dead…” There was sentiment among reports at Chessman’s funeral that the gas chamber was not really the painless process it wasgas chamber was not really the painless process it was billed as.

Allen Lee Davis EAllen Lee Davis Execution inxecution in F Florida lorida in in 19991999 Davis was a 344-pound killer344-pound killer nicknamed “Tiny”“Tiny” who bled all

over himself as he was put to death in Florida’s new Florida’s new

improved electric chairimproved electric chair. The bloodblood appeared to come from

his mouth & chest, but state officials said it was a nosebleednosebleed

and insisted the new chair worked properly. His lawyers had tried to stop the execution on the grounds that the voltage wouldn’t be enough to kill a 344-pound mankill a 344-pound man, quickly and painlessly. This new chairnew chair replaced “Old Sparky” which had been used to execute more than 200 people since 1923. The electrical equipment did come from the old chair.

Corrections officials said the old chair was falling apartold chair was falling apart. In 1990, an execution caused a violent scene in which smoke and foot-long flames smoke and foot-long flames spurted from the victim’s headspurted from the victim’s head. It had also raised concern after a 1997 execution in which flames shot from the head of the condemned manflames shot from the head of the condemned man. The problem which was later blamed on an error in the way sponges sponges were applied to his headwere applied to his head, led inmates to argue that the electric chair amounts to cruel and unusual punishmentcruel and unusual punishment.

The victim’s father said, “They’re concerned about his hair catching fire “They’re concerned about his hair catching fire and and that there is smoke. They ought to put marshmallows on his head.”that there is smoke. They ought to put marshmallows on his head.”

KKarla arla FFayeaye T Tuckerucker - 1998 - 1998[first woman executed in Texas since the Civil War][first woman executed in Texas since the Civil War]

Tucker was a hookerhooker and drug abuserdrug abuser who became a bikerbiker and committed a robbery [stealing a Harley] in Houston, Texas in 1983 by killing two people with a pickaxekilling two people with a pickaxe, while high on speed. She used the pickaxe to put 11 deep stab wounds11 deep stab wounds in Jerry Lynn Dean’s throat and chest. As he was dying she later said she “reached multiple “reached multiple orgasms.”orgasms.” Then she went after the man’s girlfriendshe went after the man’s girlfriend, Debbie Thornton, but her arms got so tired that she gave the pickax to her boyfriend to finish the job. Later she bragged about this to her sisterbragged about this to her sister who was so disgusted by her story that she turned her into the police.

She became a born again Christian and married by proxy the prison chaplain whom she was allowed to see during the marriage ceremony only thru an acrylic glass barrier.

Former Governor George W. Bush rejected her request for a reprieve. She died 8 minutes after the fatal mix.

Women are arrested for 1 out of every 10 murders but make up only 1 of every 70 inmates on death row.

U.S. Executions Since 1976U.S. Executions Since 1976• Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, 1,064 convicted 1,064 convicted

murderers have been executedmurderers have been executed in the United States. (As of March, 2007)

• Of those executed, 11 were female11 were female. (The last was Frances Elaine Newton in Texas on September 14, 2005).

• Of those executed, 22 were under the age of 18 at the time of the 22 were under the age of 18 at the time of the murdermurder. (The last was Scott Allen Hain in Oklahoma on April 3, 2003).

• Of those executed, 613 (58%) were white(58%) were white and 367 (34%) were black(34%) were black. • Of those executed: 895 (84%)(84%) were executed by lethal injectionlethal injection,

including 409 of the last 413 executions.153 were executed by electric chair153 were executed by electric chair (The last was Brandon Hedrick in Virginia on July 20, 2006).11 were executed by gas chamber11 were executed by gas chamber (The last was Walter LeGrand in Arizona on March 3, 1999).3 were executed by hanging3 were executed by hanging (The last was Billy Bailey in Delaware on January 25, 1996).2 were executed by firing squad2 were executed by firing squad (The last was John Albert Taylor in Utah on January 27, 1996).

• Executions were held in 32 different states32 different states: 385 (36%) were in Texas and 17 were in Indiana.

• There are currently 3,344 on death row. Only 50 are women.

StateState Used from/toUsed from/to No. electrocutedNo. electrocuted

Alabama 1927-1965 153

Arkansas 1913-1964 169

Connecticut 1937-1960 18

Dist. of Columbia 1928-1957 50

Florida 1924-1964 197

Georgia 1924-1964 417

Illinois 1928-1962 98

Indiana 1914-1961 59

Kentucky 1911-1962 171

Louisiana 1941-1961 68

Massachusetts 1901-1947 65

Mississippi 1940-1954 76

Nebraska 1920- 1955 12

New jersey 1907-1963 160

New Mexico 1933-1956 7

New YorkNew York 1890-19631890-1963 695695

North Carolina 1910-1938 167

Ohio 1897-1963 315

Oklahoma 1915-1966 83

Pennsylvania 1915-1962 350

South Carolina 1912-1962 241

South Dakota 1947 1

Tennessee 1916-1960 125

TexasTexas 1924-19641924-1964 361361

Vermont 1919-1954 5

Virginia 1908-1962 236

West Virginia 1951-1959 9

TotalTotal 1890-19661890-1966 4,3084,308

During the period 1977 – 20061977 – 2006 a further 151 men & 2 women have been electrocuted in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Nebraska, SC, and Virginia.

Grand totalGrand total 1890-20061890-2006 4,4614,461

ElectrocutionElectrocutionby stateby state

1890-19661890-1966

Florida’s new oakFlorida’s new oakelectric chair-1998electric chair-1998

11 of the 40 women who 11 of the 40 women who have been executed.have been executed.