Posted on 09/11/2007 4:32:35 PM PDT by Westlander
Tennessee's electric chair is to be used to execute a prisoner despite warnings from the chair's designer the voltage is too low.
Daryl Keith Holton, 45, is scheduled to die at 1 a.m. Wednesday in Nashville for the 1997 killings of his three young sons and his ex-wife's 4-year-old daughter, USA Today reported Tuesday.
It would be Tennesse's first execution by electric chair in 47 years.
Holton chose the chair rather than lethal injection, as was his right under state law, despite warnings the chair's voltage is too low from modifications made in the 1990s, the newspaper said.
Fred Leuchter, who built the chair in 1989, said using it is tantamount to torture because the voltage is 1,750 volts, as specified by the state, and needs to be at least 2,000 volts, USA Today reported.
State officials maintain the chair is inspected quarterly, was tested last week, and will be used as planned.
Why did they modify it in the 1990’s? Was there some problem before?
Although, if they guy killed his own kids, this would be a risk free way to see if it works at 1,750 volts. If it doesn’t, resulting in a torturous death, oh well. We’ll use 2,000 volts on the next one.
It isn’t the volts that kill you. It’s the amps.
Yeah, but the volts push the amps, I think in addition to a large inductance in electric chair systems.
Of course, they are going green by saving energy!
If the guy fries, what effect will it have on agw? Al Gore acolytes want to know.
Just no barking dogs or panties on his head...please...for the love of God.
1 shot to the head.. cheaper and greener!
Hey use it as is. If it doesn’t work the first time, juice him again until he’s dead. I doubt he showed any mercy to who he murdered.
Hey use it as is. If it doesn’t work the first time, juice him again until he’s dead. I doubt he showed any mercy to who he murdered.
Except for the lead. In Kalifornia, they’re working on banning lead ammo for “environmental” reasons. I think it’s more like just “mental” reasons.
Just leave the juice on longer, he won’t feel it anyway once the first surge hits him. Send this devil to his father.
So, go on over to the hardware store and buy a damned two-cycle generator to boost the power!
In the article in the Tennessean regarding the volts/amps, I seem to remember that the amps were (seemingly to me) rediculously low, like 7. I don’t know electricity, so I don’t understand. Does that sound right?
Zackly.
Your post correlates to your screen name. I love it.
Actually, it's the joules (volts x amps x seconds) that kill. And remember Ohm's law- the amperage increases with the voltage, so doubling the voltage quadruples the power delivered. Thus, 2000 volts will deliver 30% more power than 1750 volts meaning that it will kill faster.
Just put a penny in the fuse box and let ‘er rip!
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