Beatrice Lang
Tennessee is one of the few states in the US that still uses the electric chair as a method of execution. In 2018, Tennessee resumed capital punishment and has since executed six death row inmates, with the most recent taking place in February 2020. Death row inmates in Tennessee can choose between lethal injection, the default method, and electrocution, with several inmates opting for the latter. This has sparked concerns about the state's lethal injection protocol and the effectiveness of the electric chair, which was built by a self-taught architect. While lethal injection is considered a calmer and less violent alternative, it has been challenged in court as causing unconstitutional torture. As of 2024, Tennessee and six other states continue to reserve the electric chair as an option for execution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tennessee's use of the electric chair | Tennessee has used the electric chair to execute at least six death row inmates since 2018. |
| Tennessee's default execution method | Lethal injection |
| Tennessee's use of autopsies on inmates executed by electric chair | Tennessee did not perform autopsies on the last four inmates executed by electric chair. |
| Tennessee's lethal injection protocol | Tennessee's lethal injection protocol has been challenged in court by dozens of inmates, who claim it causes unconstitutional torture. |
| Tennessee's lethal injection procedure | A series of injections, one to sedate, followed by others that paralyze and stop the heart. |
| Tennessee's electric chair procedure | Inmates are strapped into the chair with crisscrossing belts. Their arms are bound to the chair, and their legs are wrapped in sponges and shackled. The execution team douses the inmate in water and places a sponge, helmet and shroud over their head. |
| Tennessee's electric chair effectiveness | Questions have been raised about the effectiveness of Tennessee's electric chair, which was built by a self-taught architect who has warned the chair could fail due to recent changes made by the state. |
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What You'll Learn
- Tennessee is one of seven US states that still reserve the electric chair as an option for execution
- Death row inmates in Tennessee can choose between lethal injection and the electric chair
- Tennessee is the only state still actively using the electric chair
- Tennessee did not perform autopsies on the last four inmates executed by electric chair
- Tennessee resumed executions in 2018
Tennessee is one of seven US states that still reserve the electric chair as an option for execution
In Tennessee, death row inmates can choose between lethal injection and electrocution as their method of execution. Lethal injection is the default method, but several inmates have opted for the electric chair, citing concerns about the state's lethal injection protocol and the potential for unconstitutional torture. Tennessee law also allows for the use of the electric chair if lethal injection drugs are unavailable.
The electric chair execution process involves strapping the inmate into the chair with crisscrossing belts, binding their arms, and wrapping their legs in sponges and shackles. The execution team then douses the inmate in water and places a sponge, helmet, and shroud over their head before administering the lethal electric current. Media witnesses have reported seeing smoke or steam rising from the heads of inmates during execution, and in one case, a drop of blood was observed.
While some states retain electrocution as a legal execution method, it is often a secondary option based on the condemned's preference. Tennessee, however, stands out as a state where it can be used without prisoner input if lethal injection drugs are unavailable. This makes Tennessee an exception, as other states typically require inmate preference or consent for the use of the electric chair.
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Death row inmates in Tennessee can choose between lethal injection and the electric chair
In the United States, the use of the electric chair has been in decline since the 1990s, with many states adopting lethal injection as a more humane alternative. However, Tennessee is one of a handful of states that still offer the electric chair as an option for executions. As of 2024, the other states that reserve the electric chair as an option include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
In Tennessee, death row inmates can choose between lethal injection and the electric chair if they were convicted of a crime committed before 1999. The state's lethal injection protocol has been challenged in court by dozens of inmates, who argue that it causes unconstitutional torture. As a result, several inmates have recently chosen the electric chair as their preferred method of execution. Lee Hall, Stephen Michael West, and Nicholas Todd Sutton are among those who have opted for electrocution over lethal injection in Tennessee.
The process of electrocution involves inmates being strapped into a chair with crisscrossing belts, their arms bound, and their legs wrapped in sponges and shackled. The execution team then douses the inmate with water and places a sponge, helmet, and shroud over their head before administering the lethal electric current. While some view electrocution as a quicker and less painful method than lethal injection, it is important to note that both methods are controversial and subject to legal challenges.
In Tennessee, the electric chair can also be used without prisoner input if lethal injection drugs are unavailable. This provision was enacted in 2014, demonstrating the state's continued reliance on this method of execution. While Tennessee has not performed autopsies on inmates executed by the electric chair in recent years, autopsies are considered vital in determining the cause and manner of death, particularly in cases where the effectiveness of the electric chair or the humane application of lethal injection is in question.
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Tennessee is the only state still actively using the electric chair
Tennessee is one of a few US states that still reserve the electric chair as an option for execution. However, it is the only state that actively uses it.
Death row inmates in Tennessee can choose between the electric chair and lethal injection. Lethal injection is the default method, but several inmates have chosen the electric chair instead. Tennessee is the only state to have used the electric chair since 2013.
Inmates who choose the electric chair are strapped into the chair with crisscrossing belts. Their arms are bound to the chair, and their legs are wrapped in sponges and shackled. The execution team douses the inmate with water and places a sponge, helmet, and shroud over their head.
In 2019, media witnesses of the execution of Lee Hall reported seeing what appeared to be smoke and a drop of blood. Hall was convicted of the 1991 murder of Traci Crozier and was the fourth inmate to be executed by electric chair in Tennessee since 2018.
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Tennessee did not perform autopsies on the last four inmates executed by electric chair
Tennessee has not performed autopsies on the last four inmates executed by electric chair since the state resumed executions in 2018. The state honored the inmates' requests that autopsies not be performed. Lee Hall, who was electrocuted on December 5, 2019, was one of those inmates. Two white plumes that looked like smoke rose from Hall's head as he was executed for the 1991 murder of his former girlfriend. State officials maintained that it was steam.
Autopsies are typically routine after an execution because they are classified as homicides. They are considered vital in determining the cause and manner of death. When the electric chair is used, autopsies can help determine how quickly an inmate died when given jolts of electricity and help determine if the chair worked properly.
Questions have surrounded the effectiveness of Tennessee's electric chair, which was built by a self-taught architect who has warned the chair could fail due to recent changes the state has made to it over the years. When lethal injection is the execution method, autopsies can provide insight into determining if the anesthetic worked. They can be valuable in piercing through the public myth that witnesses are watching someone “fall asleep” during the execution, said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.
In the case of Lee Hall, an investigation report shows the state instead performed a body examination and toxicology report—which found caffeine and anti-anxiety medication in his system. Officials took no further steps to account for the smoke or steam.
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Tennessee resumed executions in 2018
Inmates in Tennessee are given a choice between lethal injection and the electric chair if they were convicted before the state adopted lethal injection as its official execution method. Lethal injection involves a series of injections, one to sedate the inmate, followed by others that paralyze them and stop their heart. In contrast, electrocution involves two cycles of 1,750 volts of electricity, which is considered quicker and less painful.
The resumption of executions in Tennessee has been marked by controversy, with questions surrounding the effectiveness of the electric chair and the state's decision not to perform autopsies on inmates executed by this method. There have also been legal challenges to the state's lethal injection protocol, with some inmates arguing that it caused unconstitutional torture. Despite these concerns, Tennessee has continued to carry out executions, with four men recently being ordered to be executed before the end of the year.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Tennessee still has the electric chair and is the only state still actively using it.
Inmates are strapped into the chair with crisscrossing belts. Their arms are bound to the chair, and their legs are wrapped in sponges and shackled. The execution team douses the inmate in water and places a sponge, helmet, and shroud over their head.
Tennessee has executed four death row inmates using the electric chair since 2018. Tennessee is an outlier in the nation, carrying out executions at a steady clip since 2018 despite the fact that most states have backed away from the practice.
