First of all there are different methods to use for the death penalty. Firing Squad which has been used 3 times since 1976, hanging which has also been used 3 times, then a gas chamber which has been used 11 times, electrocution, which has been used 158 times, and then lethal injection which has been used 1150 times.
Lethal Injection is the most modern and common way.
But before anything happens, there is a very intense trial, jurors are presented with facts by skilled advocates under civil rules of evidence and come to a reasoned judgement, and are put to a test. People can be on death row for decades, waiting for their cases to work their way through the appeals process, some people even die before reaching the execution chamber.
The capital punishment process begins when a person is convicted of a crime and sentenced to death, while appeals are made to the court the prisoner lives in a section called Death Row.
Once the appeals are exhausted, an execution order is given and a date is set for the execution. The inmate is now moved to the next area of prison called Death Watch.
During the final 24 hours a prisoner can be visited by several people, family, friends, attorneys, and spiritual advisers. They are halted some time during that last day.
The last meal is provided, and sometimes, the prison attempts to provide whatever the prisoner requests.
The warden and chaplain visit, and also stay until the end of the execution.
Then witnesses arrive, no contact is allowed between the witness, and the prisoner, they are instructed to remain silent.
The prisoner is allowed to make final preparations, some are allowed to shower and get dressed, some are required to remove all clothing.
A heart monitor is connected to monitor when the heart stops.
Once the inmate is finished, the warden gives the signal to bring the prisoner to the execution chamber. They are either rolled in by gurney, or walk in to be strapped in one, or a table.
After being restrained, IV's are inserted into the inmates arms by the execution team, the tubes are threaded through the wall to the anteroom where the executioner is at.
When the IV's are in the prisoner is allowed a final statement either written or verbal, the statement is recorded then released to the media.
Unless a call is received from state officials the execution goes on as planned.
Lethal injection machines can be used or its done manually, the execution team is hidden from view, or wearing a hood. Only one is delivering the lethal injection, the other are putting it in a dummy bag and no one knows which one.
The drugs are administered in this order,
Anesthetic, to put them to sleep.
Paralyzing agent, to paralyze the lungs and stop the breathing.
And a toxic agent (Not used in all states) to induce cardiac arrest.
A physician declares the inmate dead. The body is placed in a body bag, and taken to a medical examiner who may preform an autopsy. Then the body is either claimed by the prisoner's family, or by the state.
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