Electric chair

The electric chair is an instrument of application of the Capital punishment by electrocution, invented and used primarily with the the United States. It was developed at the end of the years 1880 by Harold P. Brown, on the request for Thomas Edison, whereas the United States sought a less cruel and more effective alternative to hanging.

Principle

Condemned to death sat and bound on a special chair. One applies electrode S to him to certain parts of the body (normally shaven part of cranium, and part of the bottom of the body. A better conductivity is ensured by the installation of sponges soaked with conducting solution (electrolytes) in the electrodes; previously, one could be satisfied to wet the zone of contact well.

Then a strong electric current is sent by the electrodes, to cause a electrocution. The methods varied with the wire of time but remain based on automatic cycles with the first electrocution with more than 2000 Volt S during ten seconds, then a pause of a few seconds before the sending of a new tension of approximately 500 Volt S during a score of seconds.

Use

The condemned first died on the electric chair was William Kemmler, on August 6th, 1890. In the years which followed, several American States adopted this means of execution, which remained more employed until it is replaced mainly by the Lethal injection in the years 1980. The electric chair also was used with the Filipino .

In 2003 it remains one of the legal means of execution for the States of the Alabama, of Florida, the Nebraska, the South Carolina, the Tennessee and the Virginia. For Nebraska, it is the only method officially used. The other quoted States have methods of substitution to which they can appeal.

Controversies and abandonment

There was, in the past, of the accidents, in particular due to the incorrect installation of the conducting solution or to defective contacts in the electrodes. In this case, the anguish of condemned is prolonged, and the flesh at the place of installation of the electrode can burn and release from smoke.

In the State of Florida, executions missed in 1990, 1997 and 1999 drew the attention of the media. For these reasons, the electric chair, initially invented like front being means of a modern and clean execution, was very disputed then abandoned in the majority of the States which used it.

Artistic evocations

With the Cinema, let us quote in particular a particularly impressive scene in the green line .

One also speaks about the use of the electric chair in the televised series OZ (scene of execution at the time of the final episode) and Prison Station-wagon.

The small pocket of the album Ride the Lightning of the group Metallica is illustrated of an electric chair, while the piece having given its title to the album describes the thoughts of one condemned right before its execution.

A work of Andy Warhol represents a photograph of chair and is screen printed starting from a magazine.

See also Sin City or is represented an execution with the electric chair.

See too

Methods of execution

External bonds

the electric chair on the gate of information on the capital punishment

Sources

Random links: