Beatrice Lang
The electric chair, a method of execution in which a condemned person is subjected to a heavy charge of electric current, was first introduced in New York in 1889. The electric chair was conceived as a more humane alternative to hanging, but evidence suggests that it can inflict unnecessary pain, indignities, and physical mutilation on the inmate. The electric chair was once the most widely used method of execution in the United States, but it has since been largely replaced by lethal injection. However, some inmates still choose electrocution over lethal injection due to fears of feeling intense discomfort during the lethal injection process.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How it works | A heavy charge of electric current is passed through the body via electrodes attached to the head and feet |
| Who it's for | Inmates on death row |
| Where it's used | Tennessee is the only state to have used it since 2013, but it was once the most widely-used method of execution in the US |
| Alternatives | Lethal injection, lethal gas, firing squad |
| Time taken | Around two minutes for electrocution; around 14 minutes for lethal injection |
| History | First adopted in 1888 in New York as a more humane alternative to hanging; the first person to be executed by electric chair was William Kemmler in 1890 |
| Public opinion | The U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled on whether it violates the Constitution's Eighth Amendment; the Nebraska Supreme Court declared it "cruel and unusual punishment" in 2008 |
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What You'll Learn
The electric chair was first conceived in 1881
The case was investigated by a coroner, who discussed it at a local Buffalo scientific society. Alfred P. Southwick, a dentist with a technical background, was in attendance and believed that some application could be found for the phenomenon. Southwick then teamed up with physician George E. Fell and the head of the Buffalo ASPCA to conduct a series of experiments on stray dogs, electrocuting them to determine how electricity killed a subject. They varied the electrode type and placement, eventually settling on metal conductors attached to the head and feet.
In 1886, a commission was set up by New York State Governor David B. Hill to investigate a more humane means of execution. The commission included Southwick, and they contacted electrical experts such as Elihu Thomson and Thomas Edison. In 1888, the commission recommended electrocution using Southwick's electric chair idea, with metal conductors attached to the condemned person's head and feet. The bill was signed by Governor Hill on June 4, 1888, and was set to go into effect on January 1, 1889.
The electric chair was first adopted in 1890 and became symbolic of this execution method. It was initially thought to cause death through cerebral damage, but it was later scientifically established that death primarily results from ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest.
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It was first used as capital punishment in 1889
The electric chair was conceived in 1881 by Alfred P. Southwick, a Buffalo, New York dentist. Over the next decade, it was developed as a more humane alternative to conventional executions, particularly hanging. In 1886, the New York State governor, David B. Hill, set up a death penalty commission to investigate a more humane means of execution. The commission recommended electrocution using Southwick's idea of an electric chair with metal conductors attached to the condemned person's head and feet.
In 1888, a bill following these recommendations was passed by the New York legislature and signed by Governor Hill, set to go into effect on January 1, 1889. The bill did not specify the type or amount of electricity to be used, and the New York Medico-Legal Society was tasked with determining these factors. In September 1888, a committee recommended 3000 volts, but the type of electricity (direct or alternating current) was not determined.
The first person scheduled to be executed by electrocution was William Kemmler, convicted of murdering his wife with a hatchet. An appeal was made on Kemmler's behalf, arguing that the use of electricity as a means of execution constituted "cruel and unusual punishment". This appeal was denied by the court, and on August 6, 1890, Kemmler became the first person to be executed by electric chair.
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It was once the most widely used execution method in the US
Electrocution by the electric chair was once the most widely used execution method in the US. Its inception can be traced back to 1881 in Buffalo, New York, when a drunken dock worker named George Lemuel Smith sneaked into a power plant at night and grabbed the brush and ground of a large electric dynamo, dying instantly. This incident sparked the idea of using electricity as a means of execution.
In 1886, a commission was formed in New York State to investigate a more humane means of execution than hanging. Electrical experts, including Elihu Thomson and Thomas Edison, were consulted, and experiments were conducted on stray dogs to determine the most effective methods. In 1888, the commission recommended electrocution using an electric chair with metal conductors attached to the condemned person's head and feet.
On January 1, 1889, New York became the first state to introduce capital punishment by electric chair, with William Kemmler being the first person executed in this manner on August 6, 1890. The electric chair was soon adopted by other states and became the prevalent method of execution in the US, replacing hanging. From 1890 to 1972, electrocution was used in 4,251 executions in the US.
However, the use of the electric chair has declined in recent decades. It has been largely supplanted by lethal injection, which is now the most common method of execution in the US. The last state to eradicate the use of electric chairs as a form of execution was Nebraska in 2008, when its Supreme Court ruled that the electric chair constituted "cruel and unusual punishment". While the electric chair is now considered outdated, some inmates in Tennessee have chosen it over lethal injection due to concerns about the pain and discomfort associated with lethal injection.
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It has been deemed cruel and unusual punishment
The electric chair has been deemed cruel and unusual punishment due to the potential for pain and suffering that violates human dignity. The use of the electric chair as a method of execution has been controversial, with legal challenges and debates over its constitutionality and humanity. The electric chair was developed in the 19th century as a more humane alternative to hanging, but its implementation has been marred by botched executions, which have fuelled debates about its efficacy and humaneness.
The process of execution by electric chair involves strapping the condemned person into a chair and applying high-voltage electrical currents through electrodes attached to their head and legs. The first electric shock is intended to cause immediate unconsciousness, ventricular fibrillation, and cardiac arrest. However, botched executions have resulted in instances of prolonged suffering, severe external burning and bleeding, and physical mutilation. The body may also experience violent movement, resulting in dislocation or fractures.
In the United States, the use of the electric chair as a method of execution has faced legal challenges, with the Nebraska Supreme Court ruling in 2008 that it violates the state constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The international community has also raised concerns about the human rights implications of using the electric chair, urging countries to abolish this form of execution. Despite these concerns, some states in the U.S. still retain electrocution as a legal execution method, and it has been used in other countries such as Belarus and Zimbabwe.
The controversies and opposition surrounding the electric chair have fueled calls for its abolition. Advocacy groups, legal experts, and human rights organizations argue that the potential for pain and suffering inherent in electrocution is a violation of fundamental human rights and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. They continue to push for the elimination of the electric chair as a method of execution, advocating for alternative methods such as lethal injection or other forms that are perceived as more humane.
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Inmates still sometimes choose it over lethal injection
Inmates in the US state of Tennessee have chosen to be executed by the electric chair, despite it being a largely outdated method of execution. Inmates have argued that lethal injection would lead to a prolonged and painful death. Tennessee inmates on death row whose crimes were committed before 1999 are allowed to choose electrocution instead of lethal injection.
David Earl Miller, who spent 36 years on death row, was the latest of an increasing number of inmates attempting to avoid lethal injection following several botched executions. Miller argued that the midazolam-based lethal injection used by Tennessee would lead to a prolonged and painful death. He was pronounced dead at 19:25 local time on Thursday (01:25 GMT Friday) at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. Tennessee department of correction spokesman Tylee Tracer said that Miller's last words were: "Beats being on death row."
Edmund Zagorski, another inmate in Tennessee, was electrocuted in 2018. His execution was the second time the state's electric chair had been used since 1960. Miller and Zagorski argued that the midazolam-based lethal injection used by Tennessee would lead to a prolonged and painful death. Lethal injection is the state's main method of execution.
In Alabama, more than 50 inmates have chosen to be killed in the nitrogen gas chamber rather than be given a lethal injection. In Ohio, a federal judge wrote that part of the state's lethal injection protocol is akin to waterboarding, and botched procedures in other states have left men writhing in agony.
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Frequently asked questions
The electric chair is a method of execution where the condemned person is subjected to a heavy charge of electric current.
The person is strapped to a chair and electrodes are attached to their head and legs. A high voltage of electricity is then passed through their body.
The electric chair was first introduced as a form of capital punishment in New York on January 1, 1889. The first person to be executed by electric chair was William Kemmler on August 6, 1890.
The electric chair has been largely replaced by lethal injection as a method of execution. However, some U.S. states still authorize its use, including Tennessee, where several inmates have recently chosen it over lethal injection.
