BBC News Online: World: Americas

Row over new electric chair

Witnesses said blood appeared to pour from the mouth and chest of inmate Allen Lee "Tiny" Davis, as he was hit with 2,300 volts in the early hours of the morning,

He was the first person to die in Florida's new electric chair, built to replace "Old Sparky", which had been used since 1923 to execute more than 200 people.

By the time the 159kg man was pronounced dead, witnesses said blood covered the collar of his white shirt, and had left a stain on his chest about the size of a dinner plate, even oozing through the buckle holes of the leather chest strap holding him to the chair.

The authorities said the Davis had simply had a nosebleed and the blood was not related to the electrical charge coursing through his body.

"Nothing went wrong," said Cory Tilley, a spokesman for Florida's Governor Jeb Bush.

"The chair functioned as it was designed to function and we're comfortable that that worked."

But the problematic execution gave Florida's next condemned man - Thomas Provenzano - grounds for a successful legal challenge.

Old Sparky 'falling apart'

Correction officials had previously said "Old Sparky" was falling apart, and had raised concern after an execution in 1997 when flames shot from the condemned man's head.

Davis's lawyers had appealed unsuccessfully to the Supreme Court for a stay of execution, saying that during four executions last year the voltage in the old chair fell short of the amount needed to kill painlessly, especially for a man the size of Mr Davis.

Mr Davis was the 58th person to be executed this year in the United States. He was put to death for the murders of a woman and her two daughters 17 years ago.

Relevant Stories

Amnesty slams US over human rights (06 Oct 98 | Americas)
UN attacks US execution policy (14 Apr 98 | Despatches)
'Old Sparky' to kill again (23 Mar 98 | Americas)

Internet Links

Amnesty International
Death penalty information centre
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

In this section

Microsoft trial mediator appointed (From Business)
Safety chief deplores crash speculation
Taxman scoops a million (From Entertainment)
Violence greets Clinton visit
Bush outlines foreign policy
Boy held after US school shooting
Memorial for bonfire dead
Senate passes US budget
New constitution for Venezuela
North Korea expels US 'spy'
Hurricane Lenny abates
UN welcomes US paying dues
Chavez praises 'advanced' constitution
In pictures: Castro strikes out Chavez
WTO: arbitration in EU-Ecuador banana dispute
Colombian army chief says rebels defeated
Colombian president lambasts rebels