Trystan Casey
The electric chair was once a widely used method of execution in the United States, but it has been largely replaced by lethal injection. Electrocution involves passing high-voltage electrical currents through electrodes attached to the head and legs of a condemned inmate strapped to a chair. While it was once considered a humane alternative to hanging, it has been the subject of multiple botched executions and court challenges, leading most states to abandon its use. The electric chair remains an accepted alternative in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma if other methods are ruled unconstitutional.
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What You'll Learn
Is the electric chair still used?
The electric chair was once the most widely used method of execution in the United States. However, it has now been largely replaced by lethal injection, which is considered a calmer and less violent alternative. Lethal injection is now the default method of execution in many states, including Tennessee, which carried out its last electric chair execution in 2013.
That being said, the electric chair is still an accepted alternative in some states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma, if other execution methods are ruled unconstitutional. Inmates in Tennessee can also choose the electric chair over lethal injection. In 2020, Nicholas Sutton was the fifth inmate in Tennessee to do so since 2018.
The electric chair was first adopted in 1888 in New York as a quicker and more humane alternative to hanging. The last person to be executed in New York state was Eddie Lee Mays, who was electrocuted at Sing Sing on August 15, 1963. Two years later, the state abolished capital punishment, though it was reinstated in 1995. No executions have been performed in New York since then.
Ohio was the second state to adopt the electric chair, executing 315 people between 1897 and 1963. The state stopped using the electric chair in 2001 and now exclusively uses lethal injection. The electric chair was also used in Florida in the 1990s, though there were several highly controversial botched executions, including that of Jesse Tafero, whose face and head caught fire.
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How does the electric chair work?
The electric chair was once the most widely used method of execution in the United States, but it has now been largely replaced by lethal injection. Electrocution is still an accepted alternative in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma if other execution methods are ruled unconstitutional. In Tennessee, death row inmates can choose between lethal injection and the electric chair.
The electric chair was invented in the late 19th century as a more humane alternative to hanging. The process of electrocution involves one or more high-voltage electrical currents being applied to the body of a condemned inmate, who is strapped to a chair. The current is passed through electrodes attached to the inmate's head and legs. A typical electrocution lasts about two minutes, with the prisoner receiving a jolt of between 500 and 2000 volts for about 30 seconds. If the prisoner's heart is still beating after the initial jolt, another jolt is applied. This process continues until the prisoner is dead.
The electric chair has been the subject of controversy, with some arguing that it constitutes "'cruel and unusual punishment'". There have been several botched executions, where the prisoner did not perish after the first electric shock, or where the prisoner's head caught fire. In 1946, the electric chair failed to kill Willie Francis, who reportedly screamed, "Take it off! Let me breathe!". It was discovered that the portable electric chair had been improperly set up by an intoxicated prison guard and inmate. In 1999, the execution of Allen Lee Davis caused outrage when witnesses saw his white shirt rapidly turn red with blood due to a profuse nosebleed.
The actual way in which the electric chair causes death is up for debate. The most likely causes are cardiac arrest and paralysis of the part of the brain that controls respiration. Being electrocuted can cause the body to swell, and the extreme temperature can lead to severe burns and even cause the eyeballs to melt.
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Is electrocution humane?
Electrocution is a method of execution that involves passing high-voltage electrical currents through electrodes attached to the head and legs of a condemned inmate, who sits strapped to a chair. The electric chair was first adopted in 1888 in New York as a quicker and more humane alternative to hanging. However, the question of whether electrocution is humane is highly contested.
Proponents of electrocution as a humane method of execution argue that it is a quicker and less painful way to carry out a capital punishment sentence compared to other methods such as hanging. In the late 1870s to early 1880s, the spread of arc lighting, which used high voltages, led to stories in newspapers about how the high voltages were killing people instantly without leaving a mark. This led to the inception of the electric chair as a potential humane method of execution.
On the other hand, there have been several botched electrocutions that have raised questions about the humanity of this method. In 1890, New York state initiated its electric chair, executing William Kemmler at Auburn State Prison. Kemmler's execution was highly publicized as a grotesque and fiery botch. In 1946, the electric chair failed to kill Willie Francis, who reportedly screamed, "Take it off! Let me breathe!" after the current was applied. It was discovered that the portable electric chair had been improperly set up. In the 1990s, Florida saw three highly controversial botched electrocutions, including the execution of Jesse Tafero, whose face and head caught fire. In another case, witnesses saw Allen Lee Davis's white shirt rapidly turn red with blood during his execution due to a profuse nosebleed caused by an improperly fitted head strap.
The physical effects of electrocution on the human body are also gruesome and raise concerns about its humanity. Being electrocuted can cause the body to swell, resulting in the eyeballs popping out of the head or melting due to the sudden extreme temperature change. The resistance of the human flesh to the electrical current can create heat, causing severe burns and even burning off some of the skin. Lethal electrocution heats the internal organs to such high temperatures that coroners must wait for the body to cool down before performing an autopsy.
While electrocution was once widely used as a method of execution in the United States, it has been largely replaced by lethal injection due to concerns about its humanity. Several states have ruled electrocution as cruel and unusual punishment and abolished its use. However, it is still an accepted alternative in some states, and some death row inmates continue to choose it over lethal injection.
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Botched electrocutions
Electrocution involves one or more high-voltage electrical currents being passed through the electrodes attached to the head and legs of a condemned inmate, who sits strapped to a chair. While electrocution was once the most widely used method of execution in the United States, it has now been largely replaced by lethal injection. Lethal injection is now the default method of execution in Tennessee, for example, with electrocution being the secondary option.
There have been many botched electrocutions over the years. In 1890, William Kemmler was the first man to be executed by electric chair. The execution took eight minutes, during which blood vessels under his skin ruptured and bled out. Witnesses reported a grotesque and fiery scene, with the smell of burning flesh filling the execution chamber. In 1946, the electric chair failed to kill Willie Francis, who reportedly screamed, "Take it off! Let me breathe!" It was discovered that the portable electric chair had been improperly set up by an intoxicated prison guard and inmate. Willie Francis was returned to the electric chair and executed in 1947.
In 1990, Jesse Tafero's face and head caught fire during his execution. Six-inch flames erupted from his head, and three jolts of power were required to stop his breathing. Florida officials claimed that the botched execution was caused by "inadvertent human error". In 1999, Allen Lee Davis was the last person to be executed by electric chair in Florida. He bled profusely from the nose while being electrocuted, and suffered burns to his head, leg, and groin area. The botched execution caused an uproar, leading Florida to switch to lethal injection as their primary execution method.
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Alternatives to the electric chair
The electric chair is a device used for capital punishment through electrocution. The inmate is strapped to a custom wooden chair and electrocuted via electrodes attached to the head and leg. The electric chair was conceived in 1881 and became operational in 1890, becoming symbolic of this execution method.
The electric chair has been largely replaced by lethal injection, which is considered a more humane alternative. Lethal injection involves a series of injections, the first being to sedate the inmate, followed by others that paralyze and stop the heart. Lethal injection is now the primary method of execution in many states, including Tennessee, which joined other states in adopting this method over two decades ago.
In addition to lethal injection, other alternatives to the electric chair include:
- Firing squad: This method has recently been adopted in Idaho, where the governor has long been a supporter of capital punishment.
- Lethal gas: This method was recently used in Louisiana, making it only the second state to use this new method.
- Hanging: While less common today, hanging was once the primary means of execution in the United States.
- Gas chamber: This method has been used historically in the United States but is less common today.
It is worth noting that some inmates still choose the electric chair over these alternative methods, as was the case with several inmates in Tennessee who opted for electrocution over lethal injection.
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Frequently asked questions
The electric chair is no longer used as the primary method of execution in the United States, but it remains an accepted alternative in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. Death row inmates in Tennessee can also choose the electric chair over lethal injection.
A jolt of between 500 and 2,000 volts is given for about 30 seconds. The current surges and is then turned off, and the body relaxes. Doctors wait for the body to cool down and then check if the prisoner's heart is still beating. If it is, another jolt is applied. This process continues until the prisoner is dead.
Being electrocuted can cause the body to swell, the eyeballs to pop out or melt, the skin to burn off, and the internal organs to heat up. The electric chair can also cause cardiac arrest and paralysis of the part of the brain that controls respiration.
Yes, in 1946, the electric chair failed to kill Willie Francis. It turned out that the portable electric chair had been improperly set up by an intoxicated prison guard and inmate. Francis was returned to the electric chair and executed in 1947.
