"the green mile" partial spoiler. electric chair question.

[zuma]

OK, so i watched the green mile this weekend. There is a scene where a somewhat evil prison guard was leading the execution. The process of electrocution was explained earlier in the film… a wet sponge was to be placed between the electrode and the victim’s bare skull.

It was explained that the wet sponge would provide a lethal current to the executees brain, insuring a quick death.

Mr. Meanie wanted to see the guy suffer, so he did not wet the sponge. The ensuing electrocution was quite horrific. The guy screamed for minutes, flames shot from his body, his head pretty much burst into flames. The witnesses ran screaming trying to leave the room.

Anyway. While electrocution cannot be pretty, is the wet sponge on the head accurate? Do/did they really need to do this? and if the sponge is not wet, wouldn’t normal electricity flow through the executees be enough to kill him anyway?

[Shaky_Jake]

This, from a site with lots of into on the electric chair

Why does the sponge on the head electrode have to be wet?
The human body, by itself, is not a good conductor of electricity. In other words, it provides a lot of resistance to the passage of an electrical current. In order to kill as quickly and cleanly as possible, the electric chair requires a quick and unhindered flow of electricity between the two electrodes. Part of the executioner’s job, therefore, is to make sure the connections are tight and that the electricity flows freely. That’s why the electrodes are clamped on, why the head is shaved and why the sponge is used. The sponge is soaked in a saline solution which is an excellent conductor of electricity. Without the sponge, the resistance would be so high that the victim would be cooked rather than shocked to death. Florida uses natural sea sponges rather than artificial ones.

It also has a FAQ response to questions specifically about “The Green Mile”

Shake Jake

[Shaky_Jake]

Could it be Monday morning?

Must be…I screwed up my own name. A harbinger of a long week ahead, I fear.

Shaky Jake

[handy]

The video, Dr. death explains it all. Its a really great video if you can find it.