Trystan Casey
Florida's use of the electric chair as a form of capital punishment has been a highly controversial topic. In 1923, the state adopted the electric chair as a more humane method of execution, replacing public hanging. Nicknamed Old Sparky, the electric chair was used until 1999, when the state switched to lethal injection following several botched executions. Despite this, Florida is one of eight states that still allow inmates to choose electrocution over lethal injection.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is the electric chair legal in Florida? | Yes, but lethal injection is the default method of execution. |
| Who can choose to be executed by the electric chair? | Death row inmates. |
| How many death row inmates are there in Florida? | 291 (288 men and three women) |
| Who was the last person to be executed by the electric chair in Florida? | Allen Lee Davis, July 1999. |
| Why did Florida switch to lethal injection? | The electric chair executions of Jesse Tafero, Pedro Medina and Allen Lee Davis were labelled as "botched" and received considerable media attention. |
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What You'll Learn
Florida's electric chair, nicknamed Old Sparky
Florida's electric chair, nicknamed "Old Sparky", was used from 1924 to 1999. The oak chair was built by inmates at Florida State Prison in Raiford. It was the primary method of execution in the state until 2000, when lethal injection became the default method. The switch was prompted by the controversial death of Allen Lee Davis, who was the last person to die by electrocution in Florida. Witnesses described blood streaming from Davis' nose and onto his shirt, and photographs presented to the Florida Supreme Court showed that he had a bloody nose.
The electric chair made headlines in the 1990s for its numerous malfunctions, including during the executions of Jesse Tafero, Pedro Medina, and Allen Lee Davis. Opponents labelled these executions as "botched". In 1997, Florida State Attorney General Bob Butterworth commented:
> "People who wish to commit murder, they better not do it in the state of Florida, because we may have a problem with our electric chair."
Despite the controversy, many Florida politicians opposed giving up "Old Sparky", seeing it as a "deterrent". However, lethal injection is now the primary method of execution in Florida, with 57 people executed by this method since 2000. Nevertheless, inmates may still opt for the electric chair. In 2015, Florida death-row inmate Wayne Doty became the first inmate to request execution by electrocution since the 2000 law giving inmates a choice was enacted.
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Lethal injection as an alternative
Lethal injection was introduced as an alternative method of execution in Florida in 2000, following the controversial death of Allen Lee Davis by electric chair in 1999. The electric chair, nicknamed "Old Sparky", had been in use since 1923, when it replaced hanging as a more humane method of execution.
The electric chair was the subject of strong controversy in the 1990s after three executions were labelled as "botched" by opponents. In 1990, during the execution of Jesse Tafero, an inmate's mask burst into flames. In 1997, Pedro Medina suffered a similar fate, and in 1999, witnesses described blood streaming from Allen Lee Davis' nose and onto his shirt. These incidents prompted the state to make the switch to lethal injection as the default method of execution.
Lethal injection is now the primary method of execution in Florida, with 57 people executed by this method since 2000. The process involves injecting the condemned with a cocktail of three chemicals. The first is an injection of etomidate, an anesthetic, followed by rocuronium bromide, a paralytic muscle relaxer. The third is potassium acetate, which causes the heart to stop, followed by an injection of a saline solution.
While lethal injection is the default method, death row inmates in Florida may still opt for the electric chair. In 2015, Florida death-row inmate Wayne Doty became the first inmate to request execution by electrocution since the 2000 law giving inmates a choice was enacted.
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The electric chair's malfunctions
In the United States, the electric chair has been a method of execution since the late 19th century. Florida adopted the use of the electric chair in 1923, replacing hanging. The electric chair, nicknamed "Old Sparky", became a subject of controversy in the 1990s after three executions were labelled as "botched" by opponents.
One of the most notable cases of the electric chair malfunctioning was the execution of Jesse Tafero in 1990. During his execution, the electric chair malfunctioned three times, causing flames to leap from his head. Tafero's death sparked a new debate on humane methods of execution, leading several states to switch to lethal injection as their means of capital punishment.
Another case of a malfunction occurred during the execution of Pedro Medina in 1997. A crown of foot-high flames shot from the headpiece, filling the execution chamber with thick smoke and gagging the witnesses present. The execution was prematurely ended, and Medina's chest continued to heave until the flames stopped.
In 1999, Allen Lee Davis became the last person to die by electrocution in Florida. Weighing approximately 350 pounds, Davis screamed in pain during his execution, and blood poured down his shirt. This execution also sparked controversy, as it was the first in Florida's new electric chair, built specifically to accommodate a person of Davis's size.
While lethal injection has become the default method of execution in many states, some inmates continue to choose the electric chair, fearing the discomfort associated with lethal injection. However, the use of the electric chair remains controversial, and some states have ceased its use due to concerns about its humanity and the difficulty of finding experienced executioners and technicians.
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Inmates can choose their execution method
Florida is one of eight states that still have the electric chair on the books, and it allows inmates to select how they will be executed. Lethal injection is the default method of execution in Florida, and all death row inmates executed since 2000 have undergone this process. However, death row inmates may still opt for the electric chair.
In 2015, Florida death-row inmate Wayne Doty asked the state to execute him by electrocution rather than lethal injection. It is believed to be the first such request since inmates were given a choice. Doty, who was sentenced to death for killing another inmate, submitted his handwritten request to the warden. His execution date has not been set, but if he is ultimately executed by electrocution, he would become the first Florida inmate executed by that method since the 2000 law giving inmates a choice was enacted.
The electric chair, nicknamed "Old Sparky", was the focus of media attention during a rare press tour of Florida State Prison in August 1989. It was built by prisoners and was used from 1924 to 1999. The chair made headlines for its numerous malfunctions in the 1990s, namely during the executions of Jesse Tafero, Pedro Medina, and Allen Lee Davis. Witnesses described blood streaming from Davis' nose and onto his shirt, which drew widespread attention two years after an inmate's mask burst into flames during a different Florida electrocution.
In 2000, then-Florida Governor Jeb Bush signed legislation making lethal injection the state's default method of execution amid controversy over the electric chair. Since then, 57 people have been executed by lethal injection, and none by electric chair.
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Death sentences can be handed down by a non-unanimous jury
Florida has a long history of capital punishment, and the electric chair, nicknamed "Old Sparky", has been a key feature of this. In 1923, the Florida Legislature passed a law to replace public hanging with the electric chair, stating that all executions would be performed under state jurisdiction inside prisons. This was considered a more humane method of execution at the time.
The electric chair became a subject of controversy in the 1990s, with several executions receiving media attention and being labelled as "botched". Despite this, many Florida politicians opposed switching from the electric chair to lethal injection, which was seen as a more humane alternative.
In 2000, then-Governor Jeb Bush signed legislation making lethal injection the default method of execution. This was due to the controversy surrounding the electric chair and the problematic execution of Allen Lee Davis in 1999. Lethal injection has been the primary method of execution in Florida since then, with 57 people executed by this method since 2000.
However, Florida is one of eight states that still have the electric chair as an option for capital punishment. Death row inmates may choose to be executed by the electric chair instead of lethal injection. This is a right provided by state law, and the state must honour the inmate's choice.
The state's death penalty laws have been challenged in recent years, particularly regarding jury requirements for sentencing. In 2014, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that death sentences could only be handed down by a unanimous jury. However, this decision was later reversed, and in 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 450, which eliminated the unanimous jury requirement. This means that, currently, death sentences can be handed down by a non-unanimous jury in Florida.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the electric chair is legal in Florida.
The electric chair became legal in Florida in 1923, when the Florida Legislature passed a law replacing hanging with the electric chair.
Frank Johnson was the first person to be executed by electrocution in Florida, on October 7, 1924.
Allen Lee Davis was the last person to be executed by electrocution in Florida, in July 1999.
Yes, Florida is one of a handful of states that allow inmates to select their method of execution.
