User:Johnwinston96/Electric chair

Preparation and Operation
Before a prisoner is set to be executed by electrocution they must first have their legs and head shaved to avoid it being caught on fire as hair is a poor conductor of electricity. The condemned prisoner is then strapped to a wooden chair (bound at the legs, arms, chest, and head). Their face is also covered with a hood leaving only their nose exposed to avoid the gruesome sight from the witnesses as the electricity flows through their body. Then the electrodes (which delivers the deadly current to the condemned) is placed on the inmate's head and another one place on their lower calf. Both electrodes are soaked with a sponge in salt water or brine to give a good flow of electricity. The electric chair's power source is generally from the prison's generator. Once the executioner turns on the power the first jolt of electricity (between 1,700-2,300 volts) is designed to destroy the brain and render the prisoner unconscious. The second jolt (between 400-1000 volts) is designed to stop the heart and destroy other vital organs. The entire duration of the electrocution can take anywhere between 3-5 minutes. The cycle is repeated until the prisoner is pronounced dead by the attending physician.

Current Use
Today the electric chair is an optional use in states such as Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama.

Nicknames
Some nicknames the electric chair has been given is Old Sparky (Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky, and New York's chair) Gruesome Gertie (Louisiana's chair), Old Smokey (New Jersey's chair), and Yellow Mama (Alabama's chair)