Wiktor Wise
The electric chair was first built and used in New York in 1888, with other states soon adopting this execution method. The electric chair remained the most prominent execution method until the early 1990s, after which it was downgraded to a backup method that an inmate could choose, and it became rarely used. The last use of the electric chair in the US was in February 2020 in Tennessee.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of the last electric chair execution in the U.S. | 2020 |
| Name of the last person executed by electric chair in the U.S. | Nicholas Todd Sutton |
| State of the last electric chair execution in the U.S. | Tennessee |
| Year of the last electric chair execution in Ohio | 1963 |
| Name of the last person executed by electric chair in Ohio | Donald Reinbolt |
| Year of the last electric chair execution in North Carolina | 1938 |
| Name of the last person executed by electric chair in North Carolina | Wiley Brice |
| Year of the last electric chair execution in the Philippines | 1987 |
| Names of the last persons executed by electric chair in the Philippines | Jaime Jose, Basilio Pineda, and Edgardo Aquino |
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What You'll Learn
- The electric chair was the primary execution method until the 1990s
- Lethal injection is now the primary method of execution in most states
- The electric chair was used in the Philippines from 1926 to 1987
- The electric chair was last used in the US in February 2020
- Inmates in Tennessee are still able to choose the electric chair
The electric chair was the primary execution method until the 1990s
The electric chair was first introduced as a more humane alternative to hanging for executions. In the early 1880s, Dr Alfred Southwick advocated for this method, basing his calculations on dog experiments. In 1888, New York built the first electric chair and executed William Kemmler in 1890.
Other states soon followed, with Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia adopting the electric chair in the early 1900s. Twenty-six states, the District of Columbia, the federal government, and the U.S. military either had death by electrocution as an option or actively used it. The electric chair became the prevalent method of execution in the United States, replacing hanging.
However, in the 1990s, the use of the electric chair gradually declined due to the introduction and widespread adoption of lethal injection as an alternative method. Lethal injection was viewed as a calmer and less violent option. By 2013, no state had used the electric chair since 2013, although it remained an alternative method of execution in some states, where inmates could choose between electrocution and lethal injection.
The electric chair was used quite frequently in the 1980s, and in 1988, a well-publicized triple execution took place in the Philippines, where three men were electrocuted for the 1967 abduction and gang-rape of a young actress. In 2021, South Carolina's governor, Henry McMaster, passed a law making electrocution the primary form of execution in the state, with the options of lethal injection or a firing squad available upon request by the condemned.
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Lethal injection is now the primary method of execution in most states
The electric chair was first built in 1888 as a more humane alternative to hanging. It was first used for executions in 1890, and by 1908 it had been adopted by several states, becoming the prevalent method of execution in the United States. However, the use of the electric chair gradually declined from the 1990s onwards, with the widespread adoption of lethal injection.
Inmates in some states are given a choice in how the state will end their lives. In Tennessee, for example, death row inmates can choose between lethal injection and the electric chair. In South Carolina, inmates can choose between lethal injection, electrocution, and a firing squad. However, lethal injection is the default method in both of these states.
Lethal injection is often viewed as a calmer and less violent alternative to electrocution. The procedure typically involves a series of injections, the first to sedate the inmate, followed by others that paralyze them and stop their heart. In contrast, the electric chair method involves attaching metal conductors to the condemned person's head and feet and delivering a jolt of electricity lasting about 30 seconds. The process is repeated until the prisoner is dead.
While lethal injection is now the primary method of execution in most states, a few states still allow inmates to choose between different methods, including electrocution and firing squads.
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The electric chair was used in the Philippines from 1926 to 1987
The electric chair was introduced in the Philippines during the American colonial period in 1926. It was the only country outside the United States to use this method of execution. The Philippines continued to use the electric chair until 1976, with the last electric chair execution taking place in May 1972. During this time, the country also used death by firing squad.
In 1987, the Philippines abolished the death penalty with the introduction of a new constitution. This made the Philippines the first Asian country to do so. The death penalty was re-introduced in 1993, with lethal injection becoming the sole method of execution.
The electric chair was first conceived in the late 1870s to early 1880s as a more humane alternative to hanging. It was developed by a commission set up by New York Governor David B. Hill, which included human rights advocate Elbridge Thomas Gerry, lawyer and politician Matthew Hale, and scientist Southwick. The first electric chair was built in 1888, and the first execution using this method was carried out in 1890.
The electric chair remained the most prominent execution method in the United States until the early 1990s, when it was replaced by lethal injection. However, some states still allow inmates to choose between electrocution and lethal injection, and in a few states, it remains an option even without prisoner input.
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The electric chair was last used in the US in February 2020
The electric chair was first used in 1890, when it became the primary method of execution in the US, replacing hanging. It was conceived in 1881 by Alfred P. Southwick, a Buffalo, New York dentist, and was developed as a more humane alternative to hanging. The electric chair remained the most prominent execution method until the early 1990s, when lethal injection was adopted as a less violent alternative.
The use of the electric chair gradually declined in the 1990s, and it is no longer the sole method of execution in any US state. However, it remains an option in several states, including Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee. In these states, inmates may choose between electrocution and lethal injection, or, in the case of South Carolina, a firing squad.
In 2021, South Carolina governor Henry McMaster passed a law making electrocution the primary form of execution in the state, with lethal injection or a firing squad offered as alternatives if the condemned makes a request within a certain timeframe before their execution. This move came in response to concerns over the state's lethal injection supply and protocol, as well as the rising costs of the drugs used in lethal injections.
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Inmates in Tennessee are still able to choose the electric chair
The electric chair was adopted by several states in the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, replacing hanging as the primary method of execution. However, its use gradually declined from the 1990s onwards due to the growing preference for lethal injection.
In Tennessee, inmates can still choose to be executed by the electric chair, making it one of six states where this is an option. Tennessee is the only state where inmates are actively choosing the electric chair over lethal injection. This is despite the fact that lethal injection is considered a calmer and less violent alternative.
In 2014, Tennessee reintroduced the electric chair as an option in cases where the drugs required for lethal injection were unavailable. This was a controversial decision, as critics argued that the electric chair is violent and brutal. Tennessee's decision was made against a backdrop of drug scarcity and concerns about the effectiveness of lethal injections.
In 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that an inmate challenging a specific method of execution as cruel and unusual must show that a more humane method is readily available. This made it more difficult for inmates to challenge the use of the electric chair.
In 2020, Nicholas Sutton became the most recent inmate to be executed by electric chair in the US. Sutton and other inmates in Tennessee have chosen electrocution because they fear the discomfort associated with lethal injection.
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Frequently asked questions
The electric chair is no longer the main method of execution in any US state. However, it is still used as a backup method that inmates can choose over lethal injection in several states, including Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The most recent US electrocution took place in February 2020 in Tennessee.
New York built the first electric chair in 1888 and executed William Kemmler in 1890. The electric chair was then adopted by several other states, including Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia.
The use of the electric chair gradually declined in the 1990s due to the widespread adoption of lethal injection. The electric chair remained the most prominent execution method until the early 1990s, after which it was downgraded to a backup method.
