Wiktor Wise
The use of the electric chair as a means of execution has been a controversial topic in the United States. Lethal injection is the most common method of execution, but some states continue to authorize electrocution as a form of capital punishment. Florida and Tennessee, for example, explicitly authorize lethal injection and electrocution, but prisoners may be executed by any constitutional method if these are deemed unconstitutional. In 2005, the ACLU of Florida called for a state moratorium on capital punishment, describing the electric chair as barbaric. In 2025, a death row inmate in South Carolina chose to be executed by firing squad instead of the electric chair, with his lawyer describing it as the lesser of three evils.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| States that use the electric chair | Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina |
| States that previously used the electric chair | New York, Ohio, Massachusetts, Nebraska |
| Year of first use | 1890 |
| Year of most recent use | 2025 |
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What You'll Learn
New York was the first state to use the electric chair
In 1889, George Fell drew up the final designs for a simple oak chair, changing the position of the electrodes to the head and middle of the back. The chair was built by Edwin F. Davis, the first "state electrician" (executioner) for the State of New York. On June 4, 1888, Governor David B. Hill authorized the introduction of the electric chair, and it was first used two years later, on August 6, 1890, when William Kemmler became the first person in the world to be executed by electricity at Auburn Prison in Auburn, New York.
The electric chair remained the most prominent execution method until the early 1990s, after which it was downgraded to a backup method that an inmate could choose in several states, but it was rarely used. In 2004, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that the state death penalty violated the state's constitution. Today, lethal injection is the most widely used method of execution in the United States, although many states still authorize other methods, including electrocution, lethal gas, and firing squads.
The electric chair has been the subject of controversy, with critics arguing that it constitutes "cruel and unusual punishment" in violation of the constitutional ban. There have been numerous reports of botched executions, including incidents where blood poured from the inmate's mouth and chest. Despite this, some states, such as Florida, have continued to use the electric chair, while others, like Ohio, have transitioned to lethal injection as their primary method of execution.
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Florida and Tennessee authorize electrocution
Florida and Tennessee explicitly authorize lethal injection and electrocution. If those methods are deemed unconstitutional, prisoners may be executed by any constitutional method of execution. Florida's use of the electric chair has been challenged in the past, with the ACLU of Florida calling for a state moratorium on capital punishment in 2005. This was due to evidence of numerous botched executions, including an incident where blood poured from the mouth and chest of inmate Allen Lee "Tiny" Davis. Despite this, Florida's Supreme Court has upheld the use of the electric chair three times in the last decade.
Tennessee has also faced legal challenges regarding its execution methods. In March 2025, a group of nine death row prisoners in the state filed a lawsuit against Tennessee's sole use of pentobarbital in its lethal injection protocol, arguing that it creates a high risk of a torturous death. Tennessee has since shifted to a single-drug protocol, moving away from the previous three-drug method.
In recent years, death by electrocution has become less common in the United States. Lethal injection is now the most widely used method of execution, although many states continue to authorize other methods such as electrocution, lethal gas, and firing squad. In some cases, prisoners are given a choice of execution method. For example, in South Carolina, Brad Sigmon chose to be executed by firing squad instead of lethal injection or the electric chair. Similarly, Mikal Mahdi, another inmate in South Carolina, chose the firing squad over the electric chair and lethal injection.
The use of the electric chair as a method of execution has a long history in the United States. New York built the first electric chair in 1888 and executed William Kemmler in 1890. Soon after, other states adopted this execution method. However, today, electrocution is not used as the sole method of execution in any state.
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Electrocution is no longer the sole method of execution in any state
The use of electrocution as a method of execution has a long history in the United States. The electric chair was first built in New York in 1888, and the state executed William Kemmler in 1890, becoming the first state to approve the use of the electric chair. Soon, other states adopted this execution method. However, the use of electrocution has declined over time, with witnesses describing gruesome scenes of prisoners being effectively cooked from the inside out.
In recent years, there have been legal challenges to the use of electrocution as a method of execution. In 2005, the ACLU of Florida called for a state moratorium on capital punishment, arguing that the use of the electric chair violated the constitutional ban on "cruel and unusual punishment." The Supreme Court reviewed Florida's use of the electric chair, but ultimately upheld the state's right to use this method of execution.
As of 2025, some states still include electrocution as an authorized method of execution, including Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina. However, these states also offer alternative methods, such as lethal injection or firing squad, recognizing that electrocution is not the preferred sole method of execution.
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The electric chair was built in 1888
The electric chair was invented in the late 1880s, with the New York State Legislature passing a law on June 4, 1888, to establish electrocution as the state's new official method of execution. The bill was signed by Governor David B. Hill, and it went into effect on January 1, 1889.
The idea of the electric chair was conceived in 1881 by Alfred P. Southwick, a dentist from Buffalo, New York. Southwick advocated for this method as a more humane replacement for hanging, which was the primary method of execution at the time. In 1886, Governor Hill set up a three-member death penalty commission to investigate more humane means of execution, which included Southwick.
In 1888, the commission recommended electrocution using Southwick's idea of an electric chair with metal conductors attached to the condemned person's head and feet. They also recommended that executions be handled by the state and that three electric chairs be set up at Auburn, Clinton, and Sing Sing prisons.
The commission's recommendation set off a competition between Thomas Edison's direct current (DC) power system and George Westinghouse's alternating current (AC) system to be used for the electric chair. Edison actively campaigned for the selection of the Westinghouse chair, hoping that consumers would not want the same type of electrical service in their homes that was used for execution.
The final design for the electric chair was drawn up by George Fell, who made a simple oak chair and positioned the electrodes at the head and middle of the back, going against the Medico-Legal Society's recommendations. The first electric chair was built by Edwin F. Davis, the first "state electrician" (executioner) for the State of New York.
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The electric chair was adopted by Ohio and Massachusetts
Ohio's original electric chair, dubbed "Old Sparky," is now on display at the Ohio State Reformatory in a prison-turned-museum. The electric chair is on permanent loan from the Ohio Historical Society to the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society. The room where the original electric chair is located used to be a prison office next to the warden's office. The chair is displayed behind a glass case, along with other artefacts such as the mask, sponges, and shin guards used during executions.
In Massachusetts, the electric chair was adopted in 1900 as the primary method of execution. The state prison executioners used a helmet composed of leather, sponge, and wire mesh to end the lives of 65 people between 1901 and 1947. The last executions in Massachusetts were of gangsters Philip Bellino and Edward Gertson, who were executed on May 9, 1947, at Charlestown State Prison. Their deaths led to an investigation of the effectiveness of the death penalty in the state. Capital punishment was abolished in Massachusetts in 1984, and attempts to reinstate it have been unsuccessful.
The adoption of the electric chair in both Ohio and Massachusetts was influenced by the belief that it was a more humane alternative to hanging. The process of execution by electrocution involved the use of a helmet or a sponge dipped in saline solution to encourage conductivity, with electrodes attached to the head and legs of the prisoner. The length and intensity of the electric current varied depending on the person's physical condition. While the electric chair was considered an advancement in technology and humanity, there were still instances of botched executions in both states, highlighting the continued debate around the effectiveness and ethics of capital punishment.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Florida and Tennessee explicitly authorize lethal injection and electrocution.
Lethal injection, lethal gas, and firing squad.
New York was the first state to approve the use of an electric chair in 1890.
The first electric chair was a simple oak chair with metal conductors attached to the condemned person's head and feet.
Critics argue that the electric chair is a barbaric method of execution, with witnesses describing gruesome scenes of prisoners being "cooked from the inside out".
