What Really Happens In Your Last 24 Hours On Death Row?

5. Movement to The Execution Chamber

When the time comes, the visitors will have gone, and the prisoner will be moved from the Death Watch Area to the execution chamber. This is usually done after the prisoner is read their last rites, confessed, or done whatever spiritual requirements their faith allows.

If you've seen or read The Green Mile, you might think that someone calls out "Dead man walking," as the prisoner is escorted from the Death Watch Area to the execution chamber, but this is a Hollywood fantasy. Granted, there may have been guards who did this sort of thing in the past, but regulations these days ensure no such treatment.

The prisoner is shackled and taken, often arm in arm by at least two guards to the execution chamber, which is usually a small room containing a special bed/gurney, where the prisoner will be strapped for the next step in the process.

At this point, the prisoner is completely restrained and unable to do much more than move their head. This is done for their safety, but more so for the safety of the people who must be in the room with them, which includes the chaplain, warden, and medical professional.