Somewhat different from the specific subject matter, ie electric chair. We use lethal injection.
I recently served on a Grand Jury in the State of Oregon. As part of my duty I took a tour of the State Penitentiary including “death row”. No one has been executed since I think the mid 90s so we did not witness an execution, just got a tour.
I asked one of the guards about tours and yes, at least in Oregon, tours can be had with prior arrangement with prison officials. The prison has an official website with I would assume info on tours. I do not know if the tour would include death row. As a member of the grand jury and I think since it was that time of year, we got the tour. I think grand jury tours are required once a year for all facilities. I had the luck of the draw.
Oregon uses injection so, like I said, this is not specific to the electric chair but I thought it might be of interest to describe what the execution room looks like, at least in Oregon.
Death row is housed in the maximum security section of the prison. We were not allowed to see the specific death row inmates but we did get taken to the execution room.
The execution room is essentially a mini prison with one cell, a separate secured toilet room about 4x4, a witness room(behind curtains so we could not see) and of course the execution room and control room. The lighting in all rooms was rather subdued. The place is built like a brick s’house, all steel plate and bars and heavy glass.
The prisoner’s cell is roughly 6x10 feet with a sink and cot and I think a table attached to the wall. The prisoner is brought to his cell the week prior to his date and kept there until his appointment. A 24 hr guard is placed outside the prisoner’s cell. If he needs to use the John, he has to get permission from the guard and is let out of his cell and put into the heavily locked toilet room.
There is a small “waiting” room between the cell and the execution room, no walls just open floor space separated by a glass partition from the execution room. I would estimate the “waiting room” to be about 10 feet on a side and of irregular shape.
The execution room is very small, maybe 8 feet wide and just a little longer. Just room enough for the gurney and for about 5 jurors and a guard to stand around in. At the head of the room is a window and some holes in the wall to the controller’s/technician room. The drug IVs are fed thru the holes and controlled by a technician in the control room.
The execution room is better lighted and the gurney is a sturdy hospital type bed but with leather padding and two arm boards out to the side to hold the inmate’s arms out for access(I guess). There are extremely thick heavy duty leather straps for the arms and legs and the chest of the inmate. The leather is well polished and appears to be at least 1/4 thick and at least 10" wide with big metal buckles. No one is leaving once they strap you down.
The guard told us the prisoners are usually walked the maybe 10 feet from his cell to the gurney, but when the time comes they have several strong guards handy to assist if needed.
All jurors found the tour very interesting and well worth the time. We we in with the general population and there are very few guards and you are definitely toast if someone doesn’t like you since no one could get to you soon enough to help. I guess that is why the Prison instructions said you were out of luck if things went bad.
I would recommend a tour if you really want to see what things look like. If is a very strange feeling but very educational.
From one who has been in the “Big House”
Jim Henderson