6 – People Volunteer to Watch Executions
While it is normal for the family of a murder victim to attend the execution and see justice being served, there are usually a number of other witnesses in the room. In death penalty states such as Virginia, it is a legal necessity to have witnessed with no connection to the crime. According to Robert Dunham of the Death Penalty Information Center, these witnesses attend executions in the place of the general public. As such, there have to be volunteers, and one has to wonder: What kind of person holds their hand up and says they want to watch someone die, occasionally in an excruciating fashion?
Teresa Clark has volunteered to witness three executions in Virginia, and while she had to hold the hand of her husband, Larry, on the first occasion, it has become significantly easier since. On the day of the execution, volunteers such as Teresa travel to the jail where the execution will take place via the prison bus. They briefly stop to speak with reporters and are eventually led to a small room from where they will see the person die. According to Teresa, prisoners look directly at the witnesses just before they die.
It isn’t always easy to find volunteers as the state of Arkansas found out a few years ago. The director of the state’s corrections department, Wendy Kelley, had to appeal for volunteers at a community meeting because there weren’t enough witnesses available. To be fair, Arkansas was preparing to kill seven inmates in 11 days. In the state, it is a legal requirement to have at least six ‘respectable’ citizens at each execution to ensure it is conducted properly.
Of course, not every electric chair execution is carried out solemnly. While it is common for executions to feature hundreds of protestors complaining about the barbarity of the death penalty, there are rare occasions when entire communities come together to celebrate the death of a truly evil individual. One of the most memorable occasions of a festive atmosphere occurred before and after the death of Ted Bundy. He is widely regarded as one of the worst serial killers in U.S. history, so when it was his turn to meet Old Sparky in January 1989, few people protested.
In fact, there were hundreds of people outside of Florida State Prison celebrating and selling memorabilia while Bundy was being executed inside. They chanted “Burn, Bundy, Burn” and set off fireworks. One policeman in attendance said that he wished he was the person pulling the switch. On this occasion, even those who were against capital punishment in principle had no qualms about the electrocution of Ted Bundy.
