Otis Singleton
The electric chair has been used as a method of execution, with the first recorded instance taking place in 1890. The electric chair was considered a more humane method of execution when it was invented, but it has since been criticised as cruel and unusual punishment. The electric chair causes death through cardiac arrest and the paralysis of the part of the brain that controls respiration.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of first execution | 6 August 1890 |
| First person executed | William Kemmler |
| State that first used the electric chair | New York |
| Current at first execution | 17-second administration of high-voltage electric current |
| Year electric chair was invented | 1881 |
| Accepted alternative in | Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma |
| Number of executions since 1973 | 158 |
| Number of botched executions | 10 |
| Latest botched execution | Jesse Tafero, 1990 |
| Latest execution | Robert Gleason, January 2013 |
| Latest state to use the electric chair | Virginia |
| Primary method of execution in the US | No |
| Alternative method of execution in | Tennessee |
| Number of shocks in 2004 protocol | 8-second shock at 2,450 volts, 1-second pause, 22-second shock at 480 volts |
| Number of shocks in 2007 protocol | 15-second shock at 2,450 volts, 15-minute wait, 20-second shock at 2,450 volts |
| Number of shocks in Tennessee protocol | Two cycles of 1,750 volts of electricity |
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What You'll Learn
Botched attempts
The electric chair has been criticised for its botched attempts in causing the death of the convict. Here are some instances of botched attempts:
Willie Francis (1946)
In 1946, "Gruesome Gertie", Louisiana's portable electric chair, was improperly set up by an intoxicated prison guard and inmate, resulting in the current not being strong enough to kill Willie Francis. The execution failed, and Francis could be heard shouting, "Take it off! Take it off! Let me breathe!". He was successfully executed a year later.
Jesse Tafero (1990)
Florida saw three highly controversial botched electrocutions in the 1990s, starting with the 1990 execution of Jesse Tafero. His case generated significant controversy, as with the first administration of electricity, Tafero's face and head caught fire.
Pedro Medina (1997)
A crown of foot-high flames shot from the headpiece during the execution, filling the execution chamber with a stench of thick smoke and gagging the two dozen official witnesses. An official then threw a switch to manually cut off the power and prematurely end the two-minute cycle of 2,000 volts. Medina's chest continued to heave until the flames stopped and death came.
William Kemmler (1890)
The first person to be executed by electric chair was William Kemmler in 1890. After an initial 17-second administration of high-voltage electric current, a doctor declared Kemmler dead. Then Kemmler let out a deep groan, and witnesses reported that his body caught fire. The entire execution took about eight minutes.
James Larry Upton (1956)
Upton was the last person to be executed in New Mexico's electric chair before they switched to a gas chamber. The cap for the head electrode wouldn't fit Upton, so an improvised cap was made from a parka. During his execution, the fur on the parka started billowing smoke and later ignited into flames from the ensuing high voltage of electricity.
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Human error
The electric chair was first used for execution in 1890, with proponents touting it as a quick, effective, painless, and humane method. However, human error has often played a role in botched electrocutions, causing unnecessary pain and suffering.
One of the earliest recorded instances of human error in electric chair executions was in 1890 when William Kemmler, the first person to be executed by electric chair, was subjected to an initial 17-second jolt of electricity. A doctor declared him dead, but Kemmler then groaned, and witnesses reported the smell of burning flesh. This execution was widely criticized as a ""historic bungle" and "disgusting, sickening, and inhuman."
In 1946, Willie Francis became the first person known to have survived an execution by electric chair. It was discovered that "Gruesome Gertie," Louisiana's portable electric chair, had been improperly set up by an intoxicated prison guard and inmate, resulting in insufficient current to cause death or even knock Francis unconscious. Francis reportedly shouted, "Take it off! Let me breathe!" during the failed execution. Despite appeals, Francis was returned to the electric chair and executed in 1947.
These examples illustrate how human error, such as improper setup, equipment failure, and procedural mistakes, has contributed to botched electric chair executions, causing prolonged suffering and sparking debates about the cruelty and unusual punishment associated with this method.
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Cardiac arrest
The electric chair was first used as a method of execution in 1890 when New York electrocuted William Kemmler. At the time, it was considered a humane way to carry out a death sentence. However, the first use of the electric chair was botched, with Kemmler groaning after the initial shock and witnesses reporting the smell of burning flesh. Since then, there have been several other botched electrocutions, with prisoners not perishing after the first electric shock and, in some cases, catching on fire.
The electric chair is designed to deliver a high-voltage electric current to the body of the condemned person, typically through metal conductors attached to their head and feet. While the exact mechanism of death is not fully understood, it is believed that the electric current can induce cardiac arrest and paralysis of the part of the brain that controls respiration, leading to death.
The electric chair has been criticized as a form of execution due to the potential for human error and the risk of causing unnecessary pain and suffering. In some cases, prisoners have been subjected to multiple electric shocks before ultimately dying. The psychological torment associated with this method of execution has also been noted.
While the electric chair is no longer the primary method of execution in the United States, it remains an accepted alternative in some states. In recent years, however, there has been a shift away from electrocution, with lethal injection becoming the primary method for executions in most states.
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Brain paralysis
The electric chair was once considered a humane method of execution, but it has since been criticised as cruel and unusual punishment. The electric chair was first used in 1890 when New York executed William Kemmler, an intellectually disabled man. The execution was botched, with Kemmler letting out a deep groan after being declared dead, and witnesses reporting the smell of burning flesh.
The electric chair has been the subject of much controversy due to instances where prisoners have not died after the first electric shock. In some cases, the prisoner has caught on fire and still had a heartbeat. The most likely causes of death by electric chair are cardiac arrest and paralysis of the part of the brain that controls respiration.
While death by electric chair may be instantaneous, the psychological torment that accompanies this method of execution has been described as beyond description. Inmates have chosen the electric chair over lethal injection due to fears of feeling intense discomfort while the drugs take effect. However, the electric chair has largely been replaced by lethal injection as a visibly calmer and less violent alternative.
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Cruel and unusual punishment
The electric chair was developed in the late 19th century as an alternative to hanging, which was considered inhumane at the time. The electric chair was intended to be a more humane and efficient means of execution. However, its use has been controversial since its inception, with critics arguing that it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.
The first-ever execution by electric chair was carried out in 1890 when William Kemmler was put to death by the state of New York. The execution was botched, with Kemmler groaning and witnesses reporting the smell of burning flesh. Newspapers called the execution a "historic bungle" and "disgusting, sickening, and inhuman." Despite this, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Kemmler's challenge that the electric chair was cruel and unusual punishment, setting a precedent for its continued use.
Over the years, there have been numerous instances of botched executions and controversies surrounding the electric chair. In 1946, Willie Francis survived his execution and was returned to the electric chair in 1947 after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his appeal. In the 1990s, three highly controversial botched electrocutions took place in Florida, including the case of Jesse Tafero, whose face and head caught fire during the execution.
The electric chair has faced legal challenges and criticism from human rights organizations and advocacy groups, who argue that it violates human dignity and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. In 2008, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the use of the electric chair violated the state constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment, ending its use in the state. However, the electric chair remains an accepted alternative method of execution in some U.S. states, such as Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the electric chair is no longer used as the primary method of execution in the United States. Nationally, it is considered a method of the past. However, it remains an accepted alternative in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma if other execution methods are ruled unconstitutional.
The electric chair kills a person by administering a high-voltage electric current. The exact cause of death is up for debate, but it is likely due to cardiac arrest and/or paralysis of the part of the brain that controls respiration.
The use of the electric chair as a method of execution was first introduced in the late 1870s to early 1880s with the spread of arc lighting, which required high voltages that could accidentally kill people. One such accident in Buffalo, New York, in 1881, led to the idea of using electricity for executions. The first-ever execution using the electric chair was carried out in New York in 1890.
Yes, there have been several instances of botched executions by the electric chair, where the prisoner did not die after the first electric shock. In some cases, the prisoner caught on fire and still had a heartbeat. Human error has been attributed as the main cause of these botched executions.
