Molly Ayala
The electric chair was first used for executions in 1888, when New York built the first electric chair and executed William Kemmler in 1890. The electric chair was adopted by Ohio in 1897, Massachusetts in 1900, New Jersey in 1906, and Virginia in 1908, and soon became the prevalent method of execution in the United States. In 1913, Tennessee replaced hanging with the electric chair as its method of execution. In 1924, Nevada introduced the use of cyanide gas as a more humane way of executing prisoners. In 1977, Texas adopted lethal injection as its means of execution. In 1998, Tennessee added lethal injection as an option for offenders who committed their crimes before 1999. Lethal injection is now the most widely-used method of execution in the United States, with electrocution authorized in several states as an alternative method. Nationally, the electric chair is a method of the past; no other state has used it since 2013.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First use of the electric chair | 1890 |
| First state to use the electric chair | New York |
| Year the electric chair was adopted by Ohio | 1897 |
| Year the electric chair was adopted by Massachusetts | 1900 |
| Year the electric chair was adopted by New Jersey | 1906 |
| Year the electric chair was adopted by Virginia | 1908 |
| Year Tennessee replaced hanging with the electric chair | 1913 |
| Year electrocution was replaced by lethal injection in Tennessee | 2000 |
| Year the last inmate was executed by electrocution in Texas | 1964 |
| Year capital punishment was declared "cruel and unusual punishment" by the U.S. Supreme Court | 1972 |
| Year Tennessee resumed executions after a 40-year hiatus | 2007 |
| Year of the most recent execution by electric chair as of 2020 | 2018 |
| Number of inmates put to death by the electric chair since 2018 | 4 |
| Year Kentucky sought to set an execution date for death-row prisoner Ralph Baze | 2025 |
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What You'll Learn
- The electric chair was adopted by Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia
- Tennessee inmates are choosing electrocution over lethal injection
- The electric chair was New York's attempt at a humane execution method
- Tennessee resumed executions in 2007 after a 40-year hiatus
- Lethal injection is the primary method of execution in the US
The electric chair was adopted by Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia
The electric chair was first used in 1890, becoming a symbol of capital punishment in the United States. The chair was developed as a more humane alternative to conventional execution methods, particularly hanging.
Ohio adopted the electric chair in 1897, followed by Massachusetts in 1900, New Jersey in 1906, and Virginia in 1908. These states were among the first to adopt this method of execution, which soon became prevalent across the United States.
The electric chair remained the most prominent execution method until the early 1990s, when its use gradually declined due to the adoption of lethal injection, which was perceived as more humane. However, some states continued to use the electric chair as a backup method that inmates could choose. The most recent U.S. electrocution occurred in February 2020 in Tennessee, where the inmate chose electrocution over lethal injection.
Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia's adoption of the electric chair reflected the shift towards more "humane" execution methods at the time. However, the electric chair has faced criticism and controversy, with some questioning whether it constitutes ""cruel and unusual punishment". Today, lethal injection is the most widely used method of execution in the United States.
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Tennessee inmates are choosing electrocution over lethal injection
The electric chair was adopted by Ohio in 1897, Massachusetts in 1900, New Jersey in 1906, and Virginia in 1908. It soon became the prevalent method of execution in the United States. Lethal injection, however, began to gain popularity in the 1990s and is now the most widely-used method of execution.
Tennessee joined other states more than two decades ago in adopting lethal injection as the primary method for executions. Lawmakers viewed it as a calmer and less violent alternative to electrocution. However, in recent years, this view has been challenged due to errors and problematic executions. Many pharmaceutical companies have also made it more difficult for states to acquire the proper drugs.
In Tennessee, inmates who were condemned to death before 1999 are allowed to choose between lethal injection and electrocution. Since 2018, four inmates have been put to death by the electric chair, with three more choosing this method in the past year. The most recent was Lee Hall, executed for killing his former girlfriend, Traci Crozier, by setting her on fire.
Edmund Zagorski was the first inmate to choose the electric chair over lethal injection in 2018. He believed that the lethal drugs used in Tennessee would cause a prolonged and agonizing death. Witnesses to his execution reported that his arms turned red and his fists stayed closed. There were no reports of bleeding, smoke, or the smell of burning flesh.
Billy Ray Irick was executed by lethal injection in August 2018. He coughed and huffed before turning dark purple, and a doctor who reviewed his execution stated that he died a silent, painful death. He felt searing pain akin to torture before his death, experiencing sensations of "drowning and burning alive at the same time."
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The electric chair was New York's attempt at a humane execution method
Southwick's idea gained traction in the early 1880s, and he published his ideas in scientific journals in 1882 and 1883. He worked out calculations based on experiments with dogs, trying to develop a method that would work on humans. Southwick joined forces with physician George E. Fell and the head of the Buffalo ASPCA, and together they electrocuted hundreds of stray dogs to refine their technique.
In 1886, New York State governor David B. Hill set up a three-member death penalty commission to investigate more humane means of execution. The commission surveyed the history of execution and sought input from government officials, lawyers, medical experts, and electrical experts. In 1888, the commission recommended electrocution using Southwick's electric chair idea with metal conductors attached to the condemned person's head and feet.
However, the first execution using the electric chair in 1890 was botched. After an initial 17-second jolt of electricity, Kemmler was examined and found to still be alive. During the second attempt, he received a 2,000-volt shock, which caused his blood vessels to rupture and his body to catch fire. The entire execution took about eight minutes. Despite the gruesome outcome, the electric chair became the prevalent method of execution in the United States, replacing hanging. However, with the adoption of lethal injection, which was perceived as more humane, the use of the electric chair has declined.
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Tennessee resumed executions in 2007 after a 40-year hiatus
Tennessee has a long history of capital punishment, with hanging as the primary method of execution until it was replaced by the electric chair in 1913. From 1916 to 1960, 125 people were executed by electrocution in the state. However, there was a hiatus in executions between 1972 and 1978 due to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that declared capital punishment unconstitutional. Tennessee resumed executions in 2000, nearly 40 years after the previous execution. Lethal injection became the primary method of execution, and Robert Glen Coe became the first person executed by this method in Tennessee.
In 2007, Governor Bredesen issued an executive order directing the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) to review the manner in which the death penalty was administered, resulting in a 90-day moratorium on executions. On May 2, 2007, the moratorium was lifted, and a few months later, on September 12, 2007, Daryl Keith Holton became the first person to be executed by electrocution in Tennessee since 1960. This marked the resumption of executions in the state after a 40-year hiatus.
The TDOC issued a revised protocol for court-ordered executions in 2013, adopting a single-drug protocol instead of the previously used three-drug method. In 2023, Governor Bill Lee announced that Tennessee would not resume executions until systemic problems with the administration of its execution protocol were addressed. This decision highlights the ongoing debate and scrutiny surrounding the death penalty and execution methods in Tennessee and across the United States.
While lethal injection is currently the primary method of execution in Tennessee, individuals sentenced for crimes committed before December 31, 1998, have the option to choose electrocution. This dual method of execution reflects the evolving nature of capital punishment in the state and the ongoing efforts to balance humane methods with the finality of the death penalty. Tennessee's history with the electric chair, including its resumption of executions in 2007 after a long hiatus, underscores the complex and often controversial nature of capital punishment in the American justice system.
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Lethal injection is the primary method of execution in the US
The electric chair was first used for execution in 1890 when William Kemmler was put to death in New York. The chair had been designed in 1881 by Alfred P. Southwick, a dentist with a technical background, who was inspired by an incident in which a drunken dock worker died after grabbing a live electrical cable. New York built the first electric chair in 1888, seeking a more humane method of execution than hanging.
The electric chair became the prevalent method of execution in the United States, with Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia all adopting its use between 1897 and 1908. However, the electric chair has been phased out in favor of lethal injection, which is now the primary method of execution in the US.
Lethal injection was first developed in the United States as a more humane method of execution. The process involves the condemned person being strapped to a gurney, with intravenous cannulas ("IVs") inserted into their arms. One cannula is necessary to carry out the execution, while the other serves as a backup. The prisoner's arm is swabbed with alcohol, and sterilized needles and equipment are used.
The specific drugs used in lethal injections vary by state and are not publicly known. Initially, a combination of pancuronium bromide (a paralytic), potassium chloride (a cardiotoxin), and sodium thiopental (an anesthetic) was used. However, due to a shortage of sodium thiopental, pentobarbital was introduced at the end of 2010 and has since become the primary sedative in lethal injections in the US.
While lethal injection is the predominant method of execution in the US, some states authorize other methods, including electrocution, lethal gas, and firing squads. In recent years, there has been a push to adopt alternative methods due to resistance from drug manufacturers to provide the drugs used in lethal injections. As a result, some states have introduced death by nitrogen gas as a backup option if lethal injection is not possible or deemed unconstitutional.
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Frequently asked questions
Nationally, the electric chair is a method of the past; no other state has used it since 2013.
In September 2007, Daryl Keith Holton became the first person to be executed by electrocution in Tennessee since 1960.
Lethal injection is now the most widely-used method of execution in the U.S.
Tennessee, Arkansas, and Ohio.
Lethal injection, lethal gas, hanging, and firing squad.
