Dear writerguy-ga;
Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question.
Without regard to the various types of execution methods, I selected
one from which to draw our conclusions. For the purposes of this
question, we shall primarily discuss the facilities that use the
method of lethal injection as these routines differ somewhat from
other methods.
On a daily basis, death row inmates spend their time on their cells
that are located in a separate building. The prison, like the one
located in Starke, Florida, for example, normally has a separate
building for its death row inmates. It is normally situated on grounds
that are segregated from the main prison facility or in a different
location altogether. Inmates’ cells often measure only 6 x 9 x 9.5
feet high. It is here that the inmates must live and wait until their
sentences are carried out. Normally, breakfast is prepared by prison
staff and transported to the cells around 5:00 am, lunch from around
10:30 am to 11:00 am and supper from around 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm.
Inmates are usually allowed to shower every other day. They are almost
always made to wear handcuffs (and leg irons at some facilities) at
all times while outside their cells except when in the exercise yard
and the shower. Some facilities require them to be bound by handcuffs
connected to a wide leather strap that is then wrapped around their
waist and fastened in the back. Once each hour guards conduct a visual
headcount and inmates are not permitted outside their cells for any
reason except for medical attention, exercise, social or legal visits
or media interviews. The prisons normally allow inmates to have mail
(except on holidays) books, cigarettes, snacks, radios and black and
white televisions in their cells. Most do not, however, have cable
television or air conditioning. This is the standard daily routine in
most institutions.
The final three days are routinely the most isolated and unremarkable.
The prisoner is transferred to another portion of the building away
from the other condemned prisoners (or in some cases to a different
building or facility) to await execution. This is called “death
watch”. The typical cell is a bit larger than his other
accommodations, measuring roughly 12 x 7 x 8.5 feet high. Upon being
moved the inmate is typically offered a legal and a social phone call.
While on Death Watch, many prisons allow inmates to have radios and
black and white televisions but they must be positioned outside their
cell bars and the inmate is not permitted to come into direct physical
contact with them. Over the next couple of days and nights a guard is
stationed just outside the condemned man’s cell. The inmate is
monitored closely and the guard keeps notes on his mundane activities,
physical, emotional and mental condition, and the names of all those
who come and go. The inmate is given a physical examination during
this time and he may visit with counsel during or briefly with his
spiritual advisor.
Prior to execution, an inmate may request a last meal. He is allowed
to have one plate and one spoon. Normally the inmate may order
anything he wishes within reason so long as it is not too extravagant
or excessive. The food to prepare the last meal is usually limited to
that which can be purchased locally for around $20. A few hours or so
after his final meal, the guards come for the inmate who is then
shackled and walked to the execution chamber wearing clean clothing,
white socks and no shoes. This usually takes place around midnight in
keeping with the Governor’s death warrant (it has also been suggested
that this particular time is less stressful on the remaining inmate
population). If the inmate resists, he is taken forcibly but this
rarely happens and is probably even more rarely reported. The inmate
is placed on a medical gurney and strapped down with leather or canvas
straps. His feet, ankles, knees and abdomen are cinched down securely
to the gurney. He is then covered up to his neck with a white sheet.
Medical technicians or medically trained guards now appear and begin
prepping the inmate. The chemicals are introduced through an IV in the
inmate’s arm, but in some prisons both arms are prepped in case
something goes wrong and the other arm needs to be used instead. The
technicians swab the arms with alcohol or similar disinfectant (like
Betadine, etc.) and an IV needled is inserted in a vein (some prisons
start and IV in both arms as a precaution) and hooked up to tubing
which leads to an adjacent room where a saline solution and the
chemicals are located. Heart, blood pressure and respiration monitors
are attached to the inmate and before medical technicians leave the
room. At the prescribed moment the prison Warden enters the room and
the blinds or drapes covering the witness viewing area are opened. The
microphone inside the chamber is turned on and the Warden reads the
death warrant. The inmate is asked if he has any final words and is
given an opportunity to say something brief. When he is finished, the
Warden will signal the commencement of the execution and the chemicals
will be introduced into the inmate’s arm. After the obvious signs of
life have ceased, the inmate is briefly examined and pronounced dead.
The drapes are drawn the execution is complete.
Condemned men often report that their friendships and their common
bonds with fellow inmates are some of the strongest they have ever
experienced. They indicate that while their free friends have all but
abandoned them, their truest and most trusted friends are those with
whom they share this common fate. Many report a great deal of inner
sadness at the loss of someone they know and love, while others say
that any execution is depressing at best. In some instances inmates
lament that being made to watch someone count down the days toward his
execution is cruel and unusual punishment in itself. Beyond spiritual
guidance and counseling, very little help is offered to those troubled
by these ordeals and they soon learn that moving on with what little
this life affords them is the best way to cope with the loss of a
fellow inmate.
Below you will find that I have carefully defined my search strategy
for you in the event that you need to search for more information. By
following the same type of searches that I did you may be able to
enhance the research I have provided even further. I hope you find
that that my research exceeds your expectations. If you have any
questions about my research please post a clarification request prior
to rating the answer. Otherwise, I welcome your rating and your final
comments and I look forward to working with you again in the near
future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga
INFORMATION SOURCES
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/deathrow/
FLORIDA STATE PRISON
http://www.dc.state.fl.us/facilities/region2/205.html
FLORIDA STATE PRISON ENTRANCE PHOTO
http://www.dc.state.fl.us/facilities/region2/205.gif
VIRTUAL TOUR – FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
(Don’t miss this – it’s very interesting indeed)
http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/vtour/index.html
LA WEEKLY
“THE KILLING ROUTINE”
http://www.laweekly.com/ink/02/11/news-catania.php
LETHAL INJECTION PROCEDURE - FLORIDA
http://www.jud18.flcourts.org/18th_stuff/seminole/eaton/Lethal_Injection_Procedure.pdf
PROTOCOL FOR LETHAL INJECTION - INDIANA
http://www.ccadp.org/azania-protocol.htm
LETHAL INJECTION
http://www.richard.clark32.btinternet.co.uk/injection.html
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN OREGON
http://www.doc.state.or.us/publicaffairs/cap_punishment/capitalpunishment.shtml
DEATH ROW STATISTICS
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/DEATHROWUSArecent.pdf
SEARCH STRATEGY
SEARCH ENGINE USED:
Google ://www.google.com
SEARCH TERMS USED:
"FINAL DAYS" ROUTINE CONDEMNED
FELLOW INMATE REACTION EXECUTION
EXECUTION PROCEDURE
LETHAL INJECTION PROCEDURE
EXECUTION ROUTINE
LETHAL INJECTION ROUTINE
“DEATH ROW” INMATE REACTION
"DEATH ROW" STATISTICS |
