Death Row - The Effect on an inmate
In 1989 Amnesty International made the following comment (Amnesty International (1989). When the state kills … London):
"The cruelty of the death penalty is not restricted to the actual moment of execution. Its unique horror and one which cannot be relieved by developing more "humane" methods of killing is that, from the moment the sentence is pronounced, the prisoner is forced to contemplate the prospect of being taken away to be put to death at an appointed time. "
Johnson, R. (1980). Warehousing for death: Observations on the human environment of death row. Crime & Delinquency, (October) states:
"Death row emerges as an environment in which prisoners feel impotent, afraid and alone, defenceless against their keepers and unable to alter their fate. A few prisoners deteriorate dramatically; all experience, in varying degrees, a living death. This image of death row as a living death symbolises the human environment of death row and the human consequences of confinement in this oppressive penal milieu. (p. 545)"
Johnson (1981) found that prisoners under sentence of death were intensely preoccupied with the thought of execution. They were anxious about how they would behave during the walk to the death chamber, whether they would break down, whether the execution would be painful, and how the memory or image of the execution would affect their families. For many prisoners, these and similar thoughts had become obsessive. Some prisoners had recurring and vivid nightmares in which they went through the execution process step by step.
Vogelman, L. (1989). The living dead: living on death row. South African Journal of Human Rights, 5, 183-195, states:
"Death row is a place whose sole purpose is to preserve those who live there so that they may be executed. While the condemned live there, they are the 'living dead".
Some prisoners also discuss the process of the hanging in detail. One even practised what it would be like: 'I thought maybe I can't breathe. I used to put my hand over my nose and mouth to see what it is like not to have any air when your neck breaks' (Vogelman, 1989, p. 10)."
Johnson observed that the death row prisoner's relationships with family and friends deteriorate because of the prospect of permanent separation, and a sense of the futility of pursuing relationships. These visits are often a cause of terrible anguish. The condemned are particularly concerned about the consequences of their death. They are anxious about being unable to take emotional and financial care of family members, and about the sadness that will be caused by their death. Often there is an attempt to lift the spirits of the other, and sometimes family members insist that hope must not be lost since a stay of execution is still possible. Nevertheless, the day before the execution, the last goodbyes are said. As could be expected, tears, words of love and apology generally characterise the last visit.
Now the question I want to ask is: "How did person's like Stanley Tookie Williams, Vernon Lee Evans and SCORES of other condemned inmates (including the innocent) experience this?"
The next question: "Having had to endure this for so many years, prior to their expected execution date, wasn't it enough punishment? Couldn't this have been taken into account during their clemency applications, in which they truly showed reform?"
The last question: "How did they EVER keep their sanity (some didn't and turned into virtual lunatics!) and STILL continued to reform?"
I think it is time Governors spend some time on Death Row to experience this for themselves and stop withholding clemency for their own political agendas!
posted by Doc T @ 7:30 AM
6 Comments:
Hello ! At last I've got through. It was my own error. I missed out the "www". I am really excited to find so many people against the barbaric death penalty and so well organised too ! You've done some really terrific work. As my wife wants to get involved in helping Amnesty with legal aspects I am going to suggest she reads this when she gets back from our mountain house in a few days. She is a Government lawyer for the Spanish Government but is rather bored with her work and feels she would like to use her knowledge to do something more worthwhile. Naturally, we in Spain, don't have the death penalty but there are still countries where this ghastly torture is still carried out. I notice that, apart from the political arguments against the death penalty, the British Medical Association has recently condemned the American system where the anaesthetics used would not be sufficient even for medical proceedures, let alone execution. These American executioners knowingly practice real torture to death when the chemicals they use, burn causing intense pain, and without adequate sedation. Only paralysing drugs to stop the sufferer from screaming. And the Americans doing this support human rights?? It's disgusting.
Hi John! Glad you made it! If you really want to see something horrific, read the story about Michael Morales. He might be only hours from death after the 9th Circuit Court had denied his appeal that the lethal injection is cruel and unusual punishment. The Judge ordered that they either get doctors to stand by to make sure he is properly put to sleep before the other two chemicals are used to kill him, or they must kill him with an overdose of aneastethic. The doctors have now pulled out, due to ethical reasons and the DA has decided that they will go with the second option of an overdose to kill him. Talk about experimenting! This is inhumane!!
I agree with you. Its disgusting. At least the doctors had a conscience. I notice that the original trial judge has now sided with Morales's attorneys and even added his voice asking for clemency to the governor. I don't know what the situation is now, but if the warrant expires tomorrow, in law, the executioners have to go back to the original trial judge to get a new warrant, and I understand if that happens, the Judge will refuse to supply a new warrant. If the attorneys can successfully buy time until tomorrow, Morales might just escape the death penalty by the skin of his teeth. I can only hope. I have just heard the Spanish news and I understand that Morales is still alive.
Hello doct. Powereful stuff indeed and food for thought about cycles of violence. Abused people (particularly young people) often do actually stay in abuse situations in the (false) hope that they can resolve the situation. And abused children, or children where the spouses are violent, can often feel "guilty" for their parents' violence because a child has the perception of being the "centre" of the family, and therefore wrongly feel responsible. When such children become adults themselves, they do not always have the skills to walk away from destructive relationships, and can give out the wrong messages that they are "beatable." Without an interventive perceptional process, the violence continues from one generation to another.
Hey my Friend! I wish others can read this post you did! Only someone who had Psych training would be able to comment like you just did! It would silence those accusing you of not being a Psych!! Your post is right and I think you have "caught me out here". You know where I am leading with my postings, don't you? Yeah, I will prove on here that ALL condemned in capital cases, if the defense attorneys did their jobs properly, will show this pattern, which had a MAJOR, I say again, MAJOR influence in the "murder"!! You will know...children who grew up in abusive or domestic violence cases become abusers themselves...or murderers. Fantastic post, John!! Thanks for your support!
You are very welcome doct !!
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