Umair Gaines
Alabama's electric chair, nicknamed Yellow Mama, was used for executions from 1927 to 2002. The last person to be executed using the electric chair was Lynda Lyon Block in 2002. Since then, Alabama has made lethal injection its primary method of execution, although inmates convicted before 2002 can still choose to be executed by electrocution. Yellow Mama remains in storage at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama, in case a future death row inmate chooses electrocution over lethal injection.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nickname of the electric chair | Yellow Mama |
| Year of introduction of the electric chair | 1927 |
| Year of the last use of the electric chair | 2002 |
| Name of the last person put to death in the electric chair | Lynda Lyon Block |
| Year Alabama made lethal injection its default execution method | 2002 |
| Year Alabama authorized the use of nitrogen gas as a method of execution | 2018 |
| Year of the first execution using nitrogen gas | 2024 |
| Number of people executed in Alabama from 1983 to 2025 | 79 |
| Number of inmates on death row as of February 2025 | 157 |
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What You'll Learn
Alabama's 'Yellow Mama' electric chair
Yellow Mama is the name of the electric chair of the US state of Alabama. It was used for executions from 1927 to 2002. The chair acquired its yellow colour when it was painted with highway-line paint from the adjacent State Highway Department lab. The chair was built by British inmate Ed Mason, a master carpenter serving 60 years for theft and grand larceny, in 1927 and was first used to execute Horace DeVaughan that year. Mason was rewarded for his efforts with a 30-day pass, which he used to escape, and was later found in a New York state penitentiary.
The last person executed using Yellow Mama was Lynda Lyon Block in 2002. She was the only person to be electrocuted in Alabama after the state made lethal injection its default execution method that year. However, Alabama continued to allow inmates to choose between the two methods.
Yellow Mama is now stored in an attic above the execution chamber at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. It remains in storage in case a future death row inmate chooses to have their sentence carried out by electrocution.
Alabama has experienced several problematic executions involving the chair. In 1983, John Louis Evans, the first post-Furman prisoner to be executed by the state, was hit with an initial jolt of electricity that lasted 30 seconds. Evans's body tensed up, causing the electrode on his left leg to snap off. Smoke and flames then began shooting out from under the hood that covered his head. When two physicians entered the death chamber, they found Evans still alive. Ignoring the pleas of Evans's lawyer, a third jolt of electricity was applied, and he died. The execution took a total of 24 minutes, and his body was left charred and smouldering.
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The electric chair was used from 1927 to 2002
The electric chair, nicknamed "Yellow Mama", was Alabama's primary method of execution from 1927 to 2002. The chair was built by British inmate Ed Mason in 1927 and was first used to execute Horace DeVaughan that same year. Mason was rewarded for his efforts with a 30-day pass, but he escaped and was later found in a New York state penitentiary.
Until 1927, hanging was the primary method of execution in Alabama, although one person was put to death by firing squad. In 1923, legislation provided for state-performed executions by electrocution. Yellow Mama was first installed at Kilby State Prison near Montgomery, Alabama, and acquired its yellow colour when it was painted with highway-line paint from the adjacent State Highway Department lab.
In 2002, Alabama made lethal injection its default execution method. However, inmates convicted prior to 2002 were still given the option to choose execution by electrocution or lethal injection. Lynda Lyon Block, executed on May 10, 2002, was the last person put to death in Yellow Mama and the last to be electrocuted in Alabama as a method of execution.
Today, Yellow Mama remains in storage in the attic above the execution chamber at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. It is stored in the event that a future death row inmate elects to have the death sentence carried out by electrocution. While Alabama no longer routinely uses the electric chair for executions, it continues to allow inmates to select electrocution.
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Inmates can choose execution by lethal injection or electrocution
Alabama's handling of executions has drawn national and international attention. The state has a rich history of executions, with the first recorded execution in the Alabama Territory taking place in 1812, when Eli Norman was hanged for murder. From 1812 to 1927, hanging was the primary method of execution in Alabama.
In 1927, the state transitioned to a new method of execution: the electric chair, known as "Yellow Mama." This chair, built by British inmate Ed Mason, was first used to execute Horace DeVaughn in the same year. The chair acquired its yellow color when it was painted with highway-line paint from the adjacent State Highway Department lab.
However, Alabama's experience with the electric chair has been fraught with problems. On April 22, 1983, John Louis Evans, the first post-Furman prisoner to be executed by the state, endured a botched execution that resulted in smoke and flames shooting out from under the hood covering his head. The execution took a total of 24 minutes, and his body was left charred and smoldering.
In 2002, Alabama made the transition to lethal injection as its default execution method, with Lynda Lyon Block being the last person to be electrocuted. This shift occurred due to concerns about the humane application of the death penalty. Lethal injection has become the most widely used method of execution in the United States, accounting for the vast majority of executions since 1976.
Despite this change, Alabama continues to allow inmates convicted before 2002 to choose between execution by lethal injection or electrocution. This option is still available, with "Yellow Mama" stored in an attic above the execution chamber at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama.
In recent years, Alabama has expanded its methods of execution. In 2018, the state authorized the use of nitrogen gas as an alternative to lethal injection. In 2022, the state executed an inmate, Joe Nathan James Jr., after a lengthy delay in accessing his veins for the IV. This incident prompted Governor Kay Ivey to call for a review of the execution process. As a result, Alabama introduced a new execution team and extended the death warrant to 30 hours.
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Executions in Alabama have drawn international attention
Alabama's handling of executions has drawn national and international attention. The state has had an impact beyond its borders with its determination of which person is executed and how it carries out the killing of condemned inmates.
Alabama's first execution was carried out in 1812. From 1812 to 1927, the primary method of execution was hanging. In 1927, the electric chair, known as "Yellow Mama," was introduced. The chair was built by British inmate Ed Mason and was first used to execute Horace DeVaughan. The last person to be executed using Yellow Mama was Lynda Lyon Block in 2002.
In 2002, Alabama made lethal injection its default execution method but continued to allow inmates to select electrocution. In 2018, Alabama authorized the use of nitrogen gas as a method of execution. In 2024, Alabama became the first state to execute a person by nitrogen hypoxia, with the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith.
Alabama has experienced several problematic executions. On April 22, 1983, John Louis Evans, the first post-Furman prisoner to be executed by the state, was hit with an initial jolt of electricity that lasted 30 seconds. Smoke and flames were shooting out from under the hood that covered his head, and when two physicians entered the death chamber, they found him still alive. A third jolt of electricity was applied, and he died. The execution took a total of 24 minutes, and his body was left charred and smoldering.
In 2022, Alabama halted the executions of Alan Eugene Miller and Kenneth Eugene Smith after the execution team could not access their veins before their death warrants expired. In February 2018, Alabama also carried out the botched attempted execution of Doyle Hamm, during which the execution team punctured Hamm's bladder and femoral artery, causing significant bleeding.
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Lethal injection is now Alabama's primary method of execution
Alabama's primary method of execution has changed over the years. From 1812 to 1927, the primary method of execution in Alabama was hanging. In 1927, the electric chair, known as "Yellow Mama," was introduced. The electric chair was used for executions from 1927 to 2002.
In 2002, Alabama made lethal injection its default execution method. However, inmates convicted before 2002 were given the option to choose between lethal injection and electrocution. In 2018, Alabama authorized the use of nitrogen gas as another method of execution.
In recent years, Alabama's handling of executions has drawn national and international attention. There have been several problematic executions, including the case of John Louis Evans in 1983, where the execution took 24 minutes and left his body charred and smoldering. In 2022, there were issues with accessing the veins of inmates for the IV to be used in lethal injections.
Despite these concerns, lethal injection remains Alabama's primary method of execution. In 2023, executions resumed with the lethal injection executions of James Edward Barber in August and Casey McWhorter in November. In 2024, Alabama became the first state to execute a person by nitrogen hypoxia, with the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Alabama still has the electric chair, known as "Yellow Mama". It is currently stored at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore.
The electric chair was last used in Alabama in 2002, when Lynda Lyon Block was executed.
The primary method of execution in Alabama is lethal injection. However, inmates convicted prior to 2002 can choose to be executed by electrocution or lethal injection.
In addition to lethal injection and electrocution, Alabama has also authorized the use of nitrogen gas as a method of execution.
