Inside look at an Arizona execution
Summary
TLDRFox 10 News anchor Troy Hayden recounts his experience witnessing a prolonged and unusual execution, the third of his career. The execution, marked by a new drug protocol, lasted two hours, differing from the typical ten-minute process. Hayden describes the intense atmosphere, the family's reaction, and the broader implications for the death penalty debate, highlighting the challenges states face in finding effective and humane lethal injection drugs.
Takeaways
- 👤 The interview is with Troy Hayden, a Fox 10 News anchor, who has witnessed three executions, the latest being unique due to a change in the drug protocol used for lethal injection.
- 🔍 Troy was chosen to witness the execution through a media lottery system, where interested media personnel are selected to observe and report on the execution.
- 💉 The execution process has evolved from a three-drug protocol to a one-drug protocol, with the latest execution raising questions about the effectiveness and issues with the new drug used.
- ⏳ The execution lasted approximately two hours, significantly longer than the previous ones Troy witnessed, which lasted around ten minutes at most.
- 🌅 Troy described his morning routine and mental preparation before heading to the execution, focusing on how to communicate the experience to viewers effectively.
- 🏛️ The execution took place at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence, a maximum-security facility with a history dating back to the turn of the century.
- 🔐 Security measures were stringent, with witnesses subjected to a search and only allowed to bring minimal personal items, such as a wallet, keys, and a watch.
- 📝 Witnesses were provided with a small pad and pencil to take notes, which were collected at the end of the execution, emphasizing the importance of memory in reporting.
- 👁️ The execution room was small and intimate, with witnesses sitting close to one another and able to see the condemned through a window with a curtain.
- 🕊️ The family of the victim was present during the execution, showing a strong and unyielding gaze towards the condemned, reflecting their long-awaited closure.
- ⚖️ The debate surrounding the death penalty and the drug protocol used in executions is ongoing, with states grappling with the ethical and practical implications of capital punishment.
Q & A
How did Troy Hayden get selected to witness the execution?
-Troy Hayden was chosen through a lottery system for the media. He expressed interest in witnessing the execution due to the change in drug protocol, which he found intriguing.
What was unique about the execution Troy witnessed compared to the previous two?
-Unlike the previous two executions that lasted around ten minutes, this one lasted approximately two hours, which was attributed to a change in the drug protocol from a three-drug to a one-drug protocol.
How did Troy prepare himself mentally for the execution?
-Troy prepared by considering the workload for the day and focusing on how he would communicate the experience to viewers. He also thought about the crime committed by the inmate and the impact on the victim's family.
What was the atmosphere like at the maximum-security prison before the execution?
-The atmosphere was intense and silent, with a sense of anticipation. Troy described it as a feeling of hollowness and shattered looks on the faces of the victim's family members present.
What security measures were in place for Troy and the other witnesses before entering the death chamber?
-Witnesses had to go through a strict security check, where they could only bring their wallets, car keys, and watches. All other items had to be left behind. They were also given a small pad and pencil for note-taking, which was collected afterward.
How did the inmate, Joseph Wood, react during the execution?
-Joseph Wood appeared to be looking around and making eye contact with some of the witnesses, giving what was described as an 'evil eye.' He did not appear scared, unlike the previous inmates Troy had witnessed being executed.
Why did the execution take two hours instead of the usual ten minutes?
-The extended duration was due to issues with the new drug protocol. The inmate was observed gulping for air and not dying as quickly as expected, leading to a prolonged execution.
What was the family's reaction to the prolonged execution?
-The family maintained their gaze on the inmate throughout the execution, showing no signs of averting their eyes. They expressed frustration that the focus was on the drug protocol rather than on the crime and its impact on them.
What was the significance of the IVs being shown on the monitors?
-The IVs being shown on monitors was a new development, possibly to provide a clearer view of the process and to ensure that the execution was recorded in case anything went wrong.
How did the execution affect Troy's perspective on the death penalty and its protocols?
-Troy found the prolonged execution to be ugly and not pretty, but he did not express a strong emotional reaction to the execution itself. The experience reinforced the need for effective and non-painful execution methods as per the law.
What was the aftermath of the execution for the media and the victim's family?
-After the execution, the media, including Troy, gathered to report on the event, focusing on the inmate's last words and the unusual circumstances of the execution. The victim's family expressed their frustration with the lengthy process and the focus on the drug protocol.
Outlines
📺 Witnessing an Execution: Media Lottery and Drug Protocol Changes
Troy Hayden, a Fox 10 News anchor, recounts his experience of witnessing an execution for the third time, emphasizing its uniqueness due to a change in the drug protocol. The selection process for media witnesses is likened to a lottery, with interested parties volunteering. The switch from a three-drug to a one-drug protocol and subsequent issues with the new drug made this execution particularly noteworthy. The execution lasted approximately two hours, contrasting with the ten-minute duration of previous ones. Hayden's thoughts leading up to the event were focused on his role as a communicator of the experience to the viewers, considering the crime committed by the inmate and the lengthy time span since it occurred.
🏛️ The Journey to the Death Chamber: Security and Preparation
The script describes the process of entering the maximum-security prison in Florence, including multiple security checkpoints and a strict protocol for what can be brought inside. The media witnesses were briefed by the Department of Corrections director, Charles Ryan, before being escorted to a waiting area within the prison. The anticipation of the execution is palpable, with the presence of the inmate's family adding emotional weight to the event. The atmosphere is tense as the group awaits the finalization of legal appeals, with the gravity of the situation sinking in for all involved.
🔍 Inside the Death House: Execution Procedure and Witnessing the Process
The narrative takes us inside the death house, providing a detailed account of the execution procedure. The use of television monitors to display the inmate's preparation, including the insertion of IVs, is a new development. The identity of the executioners is kept secret by law, with personnel wearing masks and eye protection. The inmate's attire, an orange jumpsuit with Velcro sleeves for easy access to his arms, is highlighted as unusual. The switch to a new drug protocol and the reasons behind it, including manufacturer objections and public pressure, are discussed, along with the desire for a humane and non-painful execution method.
🕒 The Prolonged Execution: Emotional Toll and Unprecedented Duration
This paragraph delves into the emotional impact of the prolonged execution, which lasted over two hours. The inmate's lack of fear and his direct gaze into the eyes of the witnesses, including Hayden, is described as eerie and unsettling. The family of the victim maintains a steadfast focus on the execution, never averting their eyes, reflecting their intense emotional investment in the process. The unusual length of the execution and the inmate's struggle for breath raise concerns about the effectiveness of the new drug protocol, leading to a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere among the witnesses.
🚨 The Execution's Aftermath: Legal Intervention and Family Reactions
The script describes the chaotic aftermath of the prolonged execution, including the inmate's attorneys attempting to intervene legally to stop the execution and resuscitate the inmate, which was unsuccessful. The emotional reactions of the victim's family are highlighted, with a focus on their frustration that the execution's lengthy process drew attention away from their loss. The execution's conclusion is marked by the Department of Corrections spokesperson's announcement of the inmate's death, with no cheers or tears from the witnesses, reflecting the somber and serious nature of the event.
🔚 Reflecting on the Execution: Personal Perspectives and Broader Implications
In the final paragraph, Hayden reflects on the personal and societal implications of the execution. He contemplates the inmate's last moments and the irreversible nature of his actions, as well as the impact of the execution on the victim's family. The conversation about the drug protocol and its effectiveness is acknowledged as a separate but intertwined issue. Hayden's personal reasons for attending multiple executions are shared, emphasizing the value of firsthand experience in reporting. The interview concludes with a discussion about the broader debate on execution methods and the need for a humane and effective protocol.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Execution
💡Lethal Injection
💡Drug Protocol
💡Media Witness
💡Death Row
💡Capital Punishment
💡Victims' Family
💡Legal Wrangling
💡Humane Killing
💡Death House
💡IV (Intravenous)
Highlights
Troy Hayden describes his experience as a witness to an execution, noting it as his third time but uniquely different due to changes in the drug protocol.
Hayden explains the selection process for media witnesses involves a lottery system, emphasizing his interest in witnessing due to the new drug protocol.
The execution lasted approximately two hours, significantly longer than the ten minutes of previous executions he had witnessed.
Hayden shares his thoughts and preparations on the morning of the execution, highlighting the mental load of communicating the experience to viewers.
He discusses the emotional impact of the crime committed by the executed individual, including its effects on the victim's family, 25 years after the incident.
Hayden describes the security measures and the process of entering the maximum-security prison where the execution took place.
The strict rules for witnesses are outlined, including a ban on electronic devices and the provision of a small pad and pencil for note-taking.
Hayden recounts the moment the family of the victim entered and the palpable sense of loss they carried with them.
He details the walk through the prison to the death house, emphasizing the eerie silence and the solemn atmosphere.
Hayden explains the layout of the death house and the close proximity of witnesses to the execution process.
The introduction of TV monitors to show the IV insertion process is noted as a new development in the execution protocol.
Hayden discusses the drug protocol changes from a three-drug to a single-drug protocol and the controversies surrounding the source and use of these drugs.
The emotional response of the executed individual, Joseph Wood, is described, including his lack of fear and direct eye contact with witnesses.
The family's reaction to the execution is shared, with a focus on their desire for justice and the frustration with the prolonged process.
Hayden reflects on the broader implications of the execution, touching on the debate over lethal injection protocols and the challenges faced by states.
He concludes with personal insights on why he chose to witness multiple executions and the value of firsthand experience in reporting.
Transcripts
well welcome to the Fox 10 YouTube
channel we're talking to Troy Hayden Fox
10 News anchor about of what was a
pretty interesting experience yesterday
your third time witnessing an execution
right but this was and probably the last
but this one was really unique for many
reasons do you want to talk about one
why you've witnessed three and how you
got chosen to see this one basically
it's a lottery that they've put out for
the media and they'll ask who is
interested in coming out and seeing this
and that's how you get chosen so that's
basically how I was chosen I got the I
knew this was coming up I knew this was
going to be an interesting execution
because they were changing the drug
protocol mm-hm and so they're going from
a three-drug protocol they went to a one
drug and now they're going to a - and
I'm either it has some issues with it so
I thought it might be interesting to two
witnesses and it sure was I mean this
one lasted about two hours the two
previous executions you witnessed lasted
what ten minutes really the tops yeah
okay so we're gonna get into what's
going through your mind when this is
going on four hour and 40 minutes two
hours but I first want to talk about
yesterday morning you wake up and at the
moment you're thinking the executions on
you're driving down to Florence kind of
what's going through your mind it was
very early morning because I worked
until you know with you I was on until
10:30 at night and then I get to bed
about midnight and so I had to get up
around I think it's about 6:00 I got up
took a shower drove down so I'm a little
fuzzy just trying to get my wits about
me as I Drive down I was preparing
myself getting ready thinking about what
my workload is going to be for the day
whenever I go into any story it's not so
much you know living that whole
experience is how I'm gonna take that
experience and communicate it to the
viewers so that's what I was thinking
about the drive day and I know in the
days preceding this you were talking
about the crime that happened I'm sure
that you were weighing that in your head
a little bit that and I know that came
up for you throughout the week you're
thinking about what this guy did why
he's sitting on death row right you know
and and you know as we continue talking
here this is not this is jowood behind
us and the guy who was executed
yesterday and this isn't about Joe wood
so much to me this me this is more about
the process of what all of us when you
did yesterday what I did what everybody
in Arizona
because we're all involved in this and
how that process you know played out
yesterday so Joe would not a good guy
terrible crime Torah family apart 25
years ago that's part of the process as
well if people have a problem with cycle
why does it take 25 years for us to
finally get to the point where he faces
the ultimate punishment so I was into
thinking about Joe would so much and and
I was thinking about this family and how
they were going to react and how they're
going to see it but you know you're
talking about being removed a quarter
century from this actually happening but
you know there's one thing that I will
say is whenever you see maybe it's just
a feeling I get but as soon as that
family walked in the door I knew exactly
who they were because people who have
lost somebody to a violent crime get
that kind of a hollow I was a shattered
look you know and I could see it on
their faces 25 years later it's still
there's something missing and father and
a daughter you know so that was there
was there another daughter and who was
the sister that people who were killed
was so you're driving up to a
maximum-security prison yesterday yet
they I'm sure they let you on through
and then kind of walk us through driving
in to getting to basically the death
chamber which not many people have seen
no no it's not a nice place you know
they lock Florence down especially run
this is did happen down the Florence
which is about an hour southeast of the
valley and it's the old prison I don't
know when exactly it was built I think
right around the turn of the century so
looks like an old prison this big
concrete walls and there's a checkpoint
at the main intersection outside then
there's another checkpoint right at the
main entrance when you go inside and at
that point I had to identify myself I
drove into where the other media was
assembled we met up with the
communications director for Department
of Corrections and he brought us inside
a building and basically that's just
like in a classroom that's not actually
inside the prison that's just just
outside the gates and before we were
even allowed to get on the van to go
into that area
we got searched we had to have the only
thing that we could have with us we
could bring our wallet we could bring
our key for our car and and your watch
but everything else had to go you just
leave it there I left in my car in the
parking lot so before you even get on
the van to go there's they wand you and
they say okay that's your watch that's
okay and they
okay that's your key that's okay you can
have that but you can't have a pen you
can't bring a phone whoa so it's all
memory you know obviously there's no
live tweets you can't but they give you
a little tiny pad and a pencil and then
they collected that at the end of the
execution which I thought was odd but
they give you a little pad and a pen so
that's what you can bring in take notes
okay so you get back there yeah so
you're in that first room and the
Department of Corrections director
charles ryan came in and spoke to us and
said okay here's where we are
everything's going the way it should be
going at 10:00 a.m. now we got a little
bit of delay yesterday but this is how
he first came in he said 10:00 a.m.
we're gonna move forward we're gonna
move you in and that's it he's kind of
walks out and he's gone yeah so we then
move inside the prison itself and we
walked about I don't know about 50 yards
to the prison entrance and at that point
is when the big iron gates open up that
you see like in the movie gates and only
one opens at a time it's a long hallway
there's gates on both sides so one opens
you walk in and that closes then the
other one will open up and so we went in
front of another guard and we were
escorted by our liaison inside the
prison to another like classroom type
area I think it's where the corrections
officers either you know have some sort
of classroom activity or something but
it's inside the prison gate and so we
sat there and waited until we were taken
back to the death house that is astrum
and it was ours that you waited there I
mean I just can't imagine you're sitting
in this maximum-security prison about to
witness what we think because at this
point there were appeals that were still
kind of playing out an execution you're
getting a Jim Pitts the horrible feeling
in your stomach that you feel you know
the thing is and the people ask me that
all the time is how can you handle this
and I can you see it you know I've been
in TV news for so long now it's been
like 26 27 years and might my second day
as an intern like the very first time I
ever was a part of a newsroom I saw the
most horrific scene as an accident scene
and that really affected me and I think
over the years you get a little bit of a
tolerance for it I want to say I'm
inhuman but you figure out a way to kind
of deal with that so I wouldn't say I
was upset thinking about watching
somebody die again I was more thinking
about the coverage dogs can provide
later on the odd thing is you're thrown
into an area with five other people that
you really
know very well as other members of the
media and your liaison and there's you
there's nothing to do there's no phone
to look at so you end up making
conversation you know it's interesting
you make conversation about different
things you talk about other executions
you talk about other stories you're
working on things like that so that's
what you do like the old days before we
spent talking all of our time on our
phone imagine talking so at what point
do the families come in no you don't
well we don't see them at all let me you
want to go chronologically because then
I can talk about us yeah I don't see the
family till I get in the death house
okay so let's talk about how eventually
you get into the to the death okay so
the liaison were with and now I'm
fast-forwarding because we were taken
out of the prison and brought back in so
this is like what it was actually going
to happen yeah so this is later in the
afternoon about 1:30 because there were
some delays with some last-minute legal
wrangling yeah
state Supreme Court took a look at it
but then went back and so at one o'clock
we've met in that outside classroom and
at 1:30 we were on the inside classroom
ready to go and that is when you knew
there will be an execution yeah I was
gonna happen so at that point he had no
more appeals or anything else so we our
liaison he's got a little earpiece in
his ear and we saw him kind of talking
than whatever he was talking to okay
yeah okay we're ready okay and then he
took us and this I think is maybe one of
the most intense parts of the three
executions that I've witnessed the first
one was back when it was midnight
because we used to execute people right
at midnight
this is 1995 I think it's the first one
I saw and you're walking through this
big open prison yard and this is an old
prison so like you see in the movies
where you walk in as a yard there's a
big building and a big building in a big
building and it's on lockdown and it's
dead silent I mean there's thousands of
people in there but it's silent and you
look up this is back with the midnight
and I could just see the outlines of the
heads of the other inmates looking down
on us as we walk through that courtyard
and it's silent except for the clicking
of our heels ooh I just got chills I'm
telling you it's it's a very very
intense walk back to this death house
and it's all the way on the other end
from where the entrance is you're
walking all the way through past these
big buildings the death house itself is
very small it's about the size of a half
of a double-wide trailer very small and
the death house consists of a small cell
where the condemned is held the room
where he'll be put to death
and our in our waiting room and so we
walked into it again very crayon it's
about 25 people in there we sit on
benches and it was so close that the
person sitting next to me we were
touching shoulders while we were in
there and this was the previous
execution this is yesterday I was fast
forward to yesterday since everybody's
talking about that today but it was very
similar in the previous two executions
but same place so we sat down on these
little benches touching shoulders
directly behind us as you turn around
and look you can see the outline of the
gas chamber it's still there the gas
chamber is directly behind me so as you
sit you can almost reach back and touch
it that's how small the room is and it's
got little blinds on it and then a big
chimney that shoots out of there they
would vent the gas right so nobody else
would get you know sick or killed
because of the gas and then directly in
front of us is a big like a picture
window rectangular with a curtain drawn
on it yeah and I think we've seen this
video we've shown some of this fitting
you see the basically the gurney the bed
that the right that the convict will lay
down yeah what was on and but what was
new this last time is they had two
monitors probably like 25 inch of
27-inch TV monitors on either side
because those would clicked on as soon
as we got in there and we saw wood
laying on the table with his arms
exposed so now as part of the process of
a witness you watch the IV's actually go
into his arms interesting why did they
not show that before is there a question
you don't see who's putting the XVI IVs
in you see them but they're wearing eye
protection and a mask so you could never
identify the executioner though that's
why state law you can't identify the
executioner this is it one person are
the two people two guards in there yes
yes to all three there were two people
medical personnel putting the IVs in the
there was a corrections officer in there
with him I believe at one point there
are two corrections officers and then at
one point the warden is also in there we
obviously don't need the identity of the
executioner but do we know if that is
the only role they play in the
Department of Corrections we don't know
much about them just a you're the only
thing they really release were there
they're in a very general way their
credentials you know what they how come
they're qualified to do this that's
about it okay so so the TV we see him
put the IV's in and he's
there and he's kind of looking around
and then the TV's go off the curtain
opens and there he is he's right there
he was wearing and that same kind of
orange jumpsuit you see him in there
short sleeves and the tops of the
sleeves which I thought was interesting
I've never seen before with Velcro so
they can open him up and get to his arms
really easily so it was a special suit
okay so the IV is up here on the top of
the IV was down here but he was wearing
short sleeves and they were velcro so I
think so they could slide up
they had a blood pressure okay good
determine his vital statistic you know
probably his eye probably and also to
pump up and get the veins right why no
why would they show the IV going in on
television screens and not just open the
the drapes basically and let you see it
live right there that's another good
question I mean I'll be honest with you
I was surprised that we had the TV
screens I've never seen that before
and you assume they're recording all of
this because they want to know that they
did it right in case anything goes wrong
they want to be able to have a record of
what happened and you also maybe get a
better view I mean the fact that you're
looking at a camera looking straight
down on them seeing everything happens
probably better than seeing something
like that happen from you know three or
four feet away a lot of people who
follow the death penalty and things that
that go along with it are very much
aware of a new drug protocol but other
people say why did it take two hours as
opposed to 10 minutes why is there all
of this hoopla surrounding the new drugs
why they switching the drug czar yes can
you talk a little bit for for years and
years there was a three-drug protocol
and so what they would do is they'd used
I believe it's a barbiturate to put you
out then there was another drug that
went in that stopped your lungs and the
last drug that went in stopped your
heart they're called paralytics they
basically make you paralyzed so the
whole process is pretty fast you stop
somebody's lungs and heart for 10
minutes all the tissues are dying and
it's over right but the people who made
those drugs they weren't made to kill
people they're made to help people in
different ways different uses right so
the settings right so the manufacturer
started saying hey wait a second you
know and there being people were
protesting them and things they said
look we we don't necessarily want our
product to be used to kill people
anymore we don't
want that so they stopped there was some
public pressure as well that's like okay
whatever the drug company that makes it
people who oppose the death penalty
we're putting pressure on you know
boycott so-and-so because their drugs
being used to put people there right and
they're selling it to Department of
Corrections that's around the country so
that stopped then they went to a single
drug protocol they went for a while that
was also very effective I think was like
a massive dose of barbiturates don't
quote me on that but I think that's what
it was a massive dose and that worked
well but then the same thing happened
that company said I no longer it was I
think it's called thiopental that
company said I no longer want my drug to
be used for this purpose so now all of a
sudden the Department of Corrections is
saying and not just ours but all over
the country okay what do we use and how
do you experiment on drugs you know
that'll kill people who's our volunteer
for that right we want to know that
whatever we use is effective it's
relatively quick but more importantly
not painful right because that's kind of
how it's it that's the law is written
the laws yeah I'm telling you as some
people would like to see it painful a
lot of people would like to see they're
saying why should he have a non painful
death would because he inflicted so much
pain I mean I I totally understand like
this family yesterday I felt for them so
much I mean they they wanted this guy to
suffer as much as he could I'm not
saying he's suffered yesterday let me
interrupt you for a second we're showing
is this the room that you release yeah
but they've they've changed it a little
bit they put like some I thought was
really interesting they put like blue
swatches of fabric on the back and I
thought that was odd is this case just
rolling if we can to our producers so it
looks at that one of the shots we showed
it looked very like kind of dark and
ominous and there's this pretty much the
lighting yeah I like the writing so okay
the window we were looking through the
one on the left okay and the window on
the right is where I assume I don't know
a hundred percent but the doctors or the
medical workers know something you know
the warden was actually standing in the
room so he'd be over here on the foot on
this side on the foot of the the bed
yeah and it's so tiny it's such a small
room yeah in the room we're sitting in
is not much larger so the right right
behind that window and but it's
tear tits there's a lower level than a
little bit higher than a little bit
higher so people used to stand and they
just put the benches in as well so
especially yesterday were last seen two
hours you're probably very happy there
were some benches in there okay so
they've got the IV in Joseph's woods arm
they do you see them injecting drugs no
that's never seen when do you realize
that okay the process is starting he's
still asleep so he was looking around
and I've always said to people they've
all said what you know it's an awful
watching these guys die and I say you
know I it really doesn't bother me all
that much I hate to say that it doesn't
it's not a pleasant sight but I'm not
like having nightmares about it but the
one tough part that I've always found is
when they look at you in your eyes
and that and it's like you know so
here's this guy who's killed people and
now he's about ready to be killed he
knows he's gonna be dead in two minutes
he's looking right in your face and it's
just a weird directly in your eyes oh
yeah
and was he doing this looking around the
room he can see all of you it's like he
picked out four or five of us he was
really kind of you know let's say giving
an evil eye or whatever but looking
right at us and that was and I was one
of them so I was weird he kept looking
at me now so and what would you kind of
assess his emotion was was he just
looking at you like hey I think I know
that guy or was it more other though I
can't believe this is my my last moment
he didn't look scared at all I mean the
last two guys I have to admit they look
terrified this guy didn't this guy was
just kind of he was almost like I said
almost giving you an evil I was really
yeah that was creepy that was the one
that was like that was the weirdest part
of the whole process for me interesting
and the family I think said something
about how he sneered at them or smiled
at ya he said he smiled and laughed at
him I never saw laughs I'm not saying it
didn't happen and I know that family
went through so much and they were
sitting right next to me and what I will
I mean I'll never forget the intensity
of that family either I mean we were in
there not to skip forward but we were in
there for a long time they never averted
their eyes they kept their eyes directly
on him being mean every time I would
look over it wasn't like they were
shuffling what I mean they were just
that family's been through so much yeah
and and for them this is at the end of a
really awful chat a 25-year chapter for
that family I'm happy to see him
court you know over and over and over
again and probably testifying over and
over and over again and looking at the
pictures of the loved ones who weren't
there anymore I can't imagine so he
falls asleep basically and when did you
thought ten fifteen twenty minutes maybe
max half an hour no I was thinking ten
minutes any of the other two executions
I saw her about ten minutes when did you
start to kind of look around and go this
is this is how it's supposed to go I
mean nobody in there had seen a two-hour
execution before I'm not sure who's ever
seen it to our lethal injection
execution I remember ones ever happen
but no I mean he he laid there and he
was asleep and I'm thinking okay well
this is just like the other ones I've
seen and they're gonna come in in ten
minutes it's gonna be over that's not
what happened he started kind of gulping
for air his mouth started opening and
closing and that was going on and then
I'm thinking to myself well and we're
looking at the crime scene here there's
a it was an auto body shop and this is
the scene 25 years ago - so when he
gunned down his ex-girlfriend and her
father Brooke and of course we're back
in the executioners room there that's
that's the the curtain now is on the
inside that the curtains not on the
outside it's on the inside of that room
okay so I forgot where I was we were
talking about it going on so long and
nobody had ever seen oh yeah executed oh
I mean he's he's kind of gulping for air
and and I thought - my minutes I thought
to myself well this is this is not you
know this is ugly but execution is not
pretty and that's whatever he's he'll
he'll be done soon and then it goes in
new half an hour and then it goes into
45 minutes then it goes into an hour so
think about you know as I said like
watching like two full episodes of
Seinfeld or watching the whole Fox ten
News at 9:00 and the whole thing that
whole hour you're just staring at a guy
doing that goal thing I'm telling you
about yeah and it and it wasn't
happening and at that point everybody's
kind of looking around saying what what
to happen what's going on here you know
is something gone wrong
his attorneys jumped up and ran out of
the death house and we found out later
they went to federal court trying to get
it stopped in the middle of the
execution they wanted him to be
resuscitated and life-saving measures
taken of which would have been the
unheard of problems I've never heard of
anybody doing in execution you said that
didn't work no well it didn't ever
happen ever
oh you're talking about their Court yeah
yeah they never got it and and then an
hour and 15 minutes it's still thinking
hour and a half I remember in an hour
and a half I wrote a note down in my
little notebook but I remember thinking
to myself what happens if they can't
kill this guy I mean are we at the point
where they can't do it I mean I'm
thinking after an hour and a half
whatever drugs they pumped into him
they've got to be pumping more or
whatever and it's nothing's going on and
it almost appeared at the very end and
probably just my mind's eye tricking me
but it appeared like his chest was
rising and falling like he was getting
more breath Dean it was at the very
beginning and I'm thinking it you know
what's happening but about 10 minutes
later was he stopped doing and it was
finally it was over at that point and
then what they they closed the curtains
right away then the Department of
Corrections had Ryan came in again and
said the inmate is to cease time of
death whatever it was it good it was 257
or I was later any tears any cheers and
he and he out bursts nobody the the only
time I saw the younger sister the family
member
tear up was when the death warrant was
read and when the death warrant was read
by the warden they mentioned the names
of the victims and at that point she
teared up a little bit right but from
then on no they were and you heard from
their comments yesterday and if anybody
out there heard their comments it was
you know it was still wrong and they're
just they're shattered they're just what
they've been through and it's finally
over and and they were frustrated that
the attention of this execution was
going on what happened to him
yeah and not going on which is totally
understandable you know it's taken on a
couple of stories obviously the first
story is the terrible crime he committed
then that he's on death row but the
whole drug protocol is a separate story
that is kind of being debated in this
country and and it's a there's a
conundrum because states that execute
prisoners don't know what to do and
they're trying to figure it out so
they're in this process of figuring it
out and and it's really two separate
stories but as a family member who's
lost somebody I can
exactly where they were coming from
they're hearing this conversation about
drug protocols and did it work did it
work effectively is this how it was
supposed to go and there and they're
thinking who cares he's dead that's all
that matters and in their opinion it
took way too long and they probably
would like to have had him suffer more
of course that's not the way we do
things in this country without I mean
and that's but you see what they're
coming I'm sorry they got caught up in
this particular execution I mean I feel
terrible for them that they got caught
if this execution had been no problems
whatsoever exactly as we thought I never
would have been I think way more Focus
on the Family what they went through
there were no focus on this protocol or
no focus on this guy at all but like you
said there's two different stories so
the fact that this didn't go well and
the fact that it's coming off two other
lethal injection executions that also
didn't go as planned it's part of this
this broadening debate right and they
got caught up in it and and it will
probably be figured out it might take
some time it might take some time after
the inmate is deceased they lead you out
and you go to speak to the cameras right
away yeah so when that's done the first
group of people who leave are the family
members I didn't go through that apprise
should add they bring us all in in
different groups that's why I never see
the family before we get in the death
house so the very first group that goes
in is his woods in this case his
attorneys and any family member that he
has you know he just had three attorneys
and a deacon then the media then state
officials the Florence police chief was
there and some other officials are who I
didn't a couple of my recognizing a
couple Munden know who they were and
then finally the family came in after
them so you all even that reverse order
so the family left first then we're all
standing there then this data fish was
left then we left so when we walked out
we walk straight through the prison
gates that we came in on he had very
long last words so we all got together
with our notepads
and figured out got the last words down
because I guess that's important then it
came the the EOC spokesperson got
exactly what his last words were we
decided okay that this is what it was
and then we walked out and then we
watched him that very first class when
we were in
and the assorted media was already set
up and ready there and that's where you
make a statement and then did it ever
cry I mean this is kind of how I was
thinking as this was going on I'm
sitting at my desk in the newsroom we
know the executions underway and I'm
thinking did this guy when he chose to
take a couple of lives ever think beyond
that moment of the repercussions of that
probably not if he did I would he
wouldn't have pulled that trigger and
yeah you know it's a stupid is a stupid
ugly senseless crime and you know we've
been in this business long enough I'd
say 95% of the crimes we see are exactly
that just stupid senseless and then but
they have huge impacts and and this guy
I don't know you know I don't know a lot
about this guy but you know it was 25
years ago he's at all that time to think
about it and then he gets killed yeah
and I think if you were to ask them
would you had done this over again of
course he would have said yes but it
didn't happen that way mm-hmm he made
that stupid decision to go over there
and kill those people that evil decision
he made and that led to this well Troy
Hayden one of the few witnesses to the
execution that and that has made news
really around the world for for reasons
other than just a prisoner was executed
but now it brings up in the debate of
how do we go about doing this in the
future and was it really effective and
should we continue with this protocol we
appreciate your insight I feel as if I
were there I had one more thing yeah III
get the question a lot why have you been
to three of these things why do you do
that so I want to explain next I think
that's a valid question the very first
one I went to was when I was a young
reporter back in 1995 I think I said
that earlier and that was just straight
luck of the draw and it just came up and
somebody said would you be willing to do
this I said yes I thought it'd be good
to do this the second one was the very
first change in this drug protocol and
it became a big deal and part of this
debate it was in 2010 so it was 15 years
after the first one and that Jeffrey
Landrigan was his name and so we were
talking about these different drugs
there was a question about whether or
not the drugs came from overseas and it
was kind of a big deal so I was asked if
I wanted to do that when I said yes
because again it was another kind of
landmark case and I could tell we were
along that
those drugs were the same drugs they
were using before but where they got the
drugs at that point they were just
running out and it turns out I believe
it's been proven at this point but it
was alleged that the term apartment of
Corrections got them from overseas cuz
we couldn't get him here anymore okay
and so that apparently was a big deal at
that at that time and so again this drug
protocol had changed I knew heading into
this that we were dealing with something
else and so I wanted to see this one
again and be part of this and as a
anchor reporter and if you watch any of
the stuff I do you know that I like to
get out and experience things firsthand
and I feel it's the best way for me to
be able to communicate to viewers what
happens inside of these things whether
it's a breaking news situation so any
execution going forward I can say to
viewers
okay here's what happens let me take you
through this I've been there so I think
you'll do another one no no I think I
think I think you completely were to
change the protocol would you sign up to
maybe another lethal injection I don't
know I mean if they went back to I mean
some federal ejections go to firing
squad and I'm laughing about it but you
know I mean a lot of people are I put on
my Facebook page and people are going
crazy or saying yes go go do it I mean
you know maybe give it give the option
because maybe somebody would prefer that
as a way to go very interesting thank
you for sharing I feel like I was there
after listening to your description and
we appreciate all of your time it was a
long day for you and a long day for
everybody down there and thanks for
joining us on the Fox 10 YouTube channel
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