Trystan Casey
The electric chair, a device used for capital punishment through electrocution, was first used in 1890 and became a symbol of capital punishment in the United States. Despite its historical significance, the use of the electric chair has declined due to the adoption of lethal injection, which is considered more humane. However, some states, like Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida, still allow inmates to choose between electrocution and lethal injection. Tennessee is an exception, where the electric chair can be used without the prisoner's input if lethal injection drugs are unavailable. The most recent electrocution in the US was in February 2020 in Tennessee, where inmates are increasingly choosing the electric chair.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is the electric chair still used? | Yes, but it is rare. The last recorded use was in February 2020 in Tennessee. |
| Which states still use the electric chair? | Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee. |
| Is the electric chair the primary method of execution in any state? | Yes, in South Carolina. |
| Why do some states still use the electric chair? | Lethal injection is now the primary method of execution in the US. However, there have been issues with obtaining the drugs required. Some inmates also choose the electric chair over lethal injection. |
| How does execution by electric chair work? | The prisoner is strapped to a chair and electrodes are attached to their head and leg. A jolt of between 500 and 2000 volts is delivered for about 30 seconds. This process is repeated until the prisoner is dead. |
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What You'll Learn
The electric chair is a method of the past
The electric chair is a method of execution conceived in 1881 by a New York dentist, Alfred P. Southwick. It was developed as a more humane alternative to hanging and was first used in 1890. The electric chair became a symbol of capital punishment in the United States and was also used extensively in the Philippines.
However, the use of the electric chair has been on the decline in the United States since the 1990s due to the adoption of lethal injection, which is perceived as a more humane method. Lethal injection is now the primary means of execution in most states where it is legal. While some states still retain electrocution as a legal execution method, it is often a secondary option based on the prisoner's preference.
For instance, in Tennessee, death row inmates can choose between lethal injection and the electric chair. In 2020, Nicholas Todd Sutton became the most recent inmate in the U.S. to be executed by electrocution, making him the fifth inmate in Tennessee to choose this method since 2018. In South Carolina, a similar law was passed in 2021, making electrocution the primary form of execution, with lethal injection or a firing squad available upon request by the condemned.
Despite these exceptions, the electric chair is considered a method of the past, with no other state having used it since 2013. The decline in its use can also be attributed to the problematic executions that have gained widespread notice, reinforcing the view that lethal injection is a calmer and less violent alternative.
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Inmates fear lethal injection
Lethal injection is the most common method of execution in the US. It involves injecting one or more drugs into a person, typically a barbiturate, a paralytic, and potassium, to cause unconsciousness, stop their breathing, and induce a heart attack. However, inmates fear lethal injection due to concerns about the procedure being inhumane and unconstitutional.
In 2006, the US Supreme Court ruled that death-row inmates could challenge the constitutionality of lethal injection procedures through federal civil rights lawsuits. Since then, numerous inmates have argued that lethal injection violates the ban on "cruel and unusual punishment" in the Eighth Amendment. Lower courts have reached opposing conclusions, with some finding lethal injection unconstitutional in certain states and others deeming it constitutionally acceptable in states like Missouri, Arizona, and Oklahoma.
The effectiveness of lethal injection has been questioned, with botched procedures leaving inmates writhing in agony. Opponents argue that the use of thiopental, an ultrashort-acting barbiturate, may wear off, leading to consciousness during execution. Additionally, the paralytic agent pancuronium bromide can prevent inmates from expressing pain or discomfort. Autopsy findings have revealed pulmonary edema in 84% of reviewed cases, indicating that inmates may experience a slower death with organ failure and a suffocating, drowning sensation.
Inmates in states like Tennessee have opted for the electric chair over lethal injection due to these fears. While electrocution is considered outdated, some inmates view it as a quicker and less painful alternative. Tennessee inmates have chosen electrocution despite it being a more violent and disturbing method, as witnessed in the execution of Lee Hall in 2018.
As of 2025, electrocution remains an option in some states like Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida, where inmates can choose between lethal injection and electrocution. However, lethal injection is still the primary method of execution in most states, and its use has led to a decline in the use of the electric chair.
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Botched electrocutions
The electric chair is a device used for capital punishment through electrocution. The condemned person is strapped to a custom wooden chair and electrocuted via electrodes attached to the head and leg. Although electrocution is considered outdated, it is still an option for executions in some states, including Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida. In these states, inmates may choose between electrocution and lethal injection.
Electrocution has been considered a more humane alternative to hanging or other conventional execution methods. However, there have been several botched electrocutions that have caused unnecessary agony for the prisoner. Here are some examples:
John Evans, 1983, Alabama
After the first jolt of electricity, sparks and flames erupted from the electrode attached to Evans's leg. The electrode burst from the strap, caught on fire, and smoke and sparks came out from under the hood near Evans's left temple. Despite two more jolts of electricity, Evans's heart was still beating. A third jolt was administered, ignoring the pleas of Evans's lawyer. The execution took 14 minutes and left Evans's body charred and smoldering.
William Kemmler, 1890
William Kemmler was the first man to be executed using the electric chair. The execution took eight minutes as blood vessels under his skin ruptured and bled out. Witnesses reported that his body caught fire, and the smell of burning flesh filled the chamber.
Jesse Joseph Tafero, 1990, Florida
During the execution, six-inch flames erupted from Tafero's head, and three jolts of power were required to stop his breathing. State officials claimed that the botched execution was caused by "inadvertent human error" due to the substitution of a synthetic sponge for a natural one.
Allen Lee Davis, 1999, Florida
Davis was the last person to be executed by electric chair in Florida. He bled profusely from the nose during the electrocution and suffered burns to his head, leg, and groin area. This execution caused uproar and led Florida to switch to lethal injection as their primary execution method.
These botched electrocutions highlight the problems associated with the electric chair as a method of execution, even if it is chosen by the inmate themselves.
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The death penalty is on the decline
In the US, lethal injection has become the primary method of execution, with electrocution via the electric chair becoming a secondary option in some states. The electric chair was first used in 1890 and became a symbol of capital punishment in the US, but its use has declined since the 1990s due to the adoption of lethal injection, which was perceived as more humane. However, in recent years, the view of lethal injection as a calmer and less violent alternative has been challenged due to errors and problematic executions.
While the use of the electric chair is on the decline, some US states still retain electrocution as a legal execution method, and inmates can choose between electrocution and lethal injection. In 2021, South Carolina's governor passed a law making electrocution the primary form of execution. In Tennessee, death row inmates can choose between lethal injection and electrocution, and several inmates have recently chosen the latter.
Despite the decline of the death penalty, it is still prevalent in some countries. China is the world's leading executioner, but the true extent of its use of the death penalty is unknown as the data is classified as a state secret. Excluding China, 87% of all reported executions took place in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Amnesty International recorded at least 1,518 executions in 15 countries in 2024, up by 32% from 2023.
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Pharmaceutical companies block their drugs from being used in executions
The electric chair was developed in the 1880s as a more humane alternative to hanging and was first used for execution in 1890. It became a symbol of capital punishment in the United States. However, its use has declined with the adoption of lethal injection, which was perceived as a calmer and less violent option.
Lethal injection is the most common method of execution in the United States, but the widespread resistance of drug manufacturers to provide the drugs used in lethal injections has led states to consider alternative methods. More than 20 American and European pharmaceutical companies have restricted the sale of their drugs for use in executions, with some citing moral or business reasons. For example, Pfizer, one of the world's leading drug manufacturers, has blocked the use of its drugs in executions, with a spokesperson saying that the company does not take public policy positions on issues like capital punishment and is instead committed to furthering human health and wellness.
Similarly, Fresenius Kabi filed a lawsuit seeking to block Nebraska from using its drugs for executions, stating that it "opposes the use of its products for this purpose and therefore does not sell certain drugs to correctional facilities." Other companies that have taken similar stances include Akorn Pharmaceuticals, Par Pharmaceuticals, and Alvogen.
The efforts of these pharmaceutical companies have made it more difficult for states to obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections, leading them to consider alternative methods of execution, such as the electric chair, firing squad, lethal gas, and hanging. However, the use of the electric chair has also been declining, with Tennessee being the only state to have used it since 2013.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the electric chair is still a thing. It is an alternative method of execution in seven states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.
Tennessee and South Carolina have used the electric chair most recently. In February 2020, Nicholas Todd Sutton was executed via electric chair in Tennessee. In 2024, South Carolina's prisons director said the state is ready to carry out an execution by electric chair.
The prisoner is strapped to a custom wooden chair and electrocuted via electrodes attached to the head and leg. A jolt of between 500 and 2000 volts, which lasts for about 30 seconds, is given. The current is then turned off, and doctors wait for the body to cool down before checking if the prisoner's heart is still beating. If it is, another jolt is applied.
Lethal injection is the primary means of execution in the United States. However, some prisoners choose the electric chair over lethal injection due to concerns about the lethal injection protocol and problematic executions.
Critics argue that the electric chair causes unnecessary suffering and indignity and carries a wide margin of error. There have been reports of botched procedures where multiple shocks were required for an inmate to die.
