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

4. Witnesses Arrive

The next step in the process involves the arrival of witnesses. At one point in history, executions were carried out in public, but the United States gave up this practice in 1936 when a prisoner was hanged publicly in Kentucky. People came from all around to witness the execution, which included thousands of witnesses.

That's a practice of the past, but in modern executions, witnesses remain a big factor, only there are strict limitations on who can attend. Every state has laws describing exactly who can come and witness an execution, but they are all generally limited to the following:

Relatives of the victim or victims, relatives of the prisoner, the prison warden, medical personnel required for the execution itself, spiritual advisers or the prison chaplain, prison guards to ensure the safety and security of everyone involved, an official group of 'reputable citizens,' an official group of state-selected representatives, and media personnel covering the execution.

Depending on the prison, witnesses may arrive as soon as 20 minutes prior to the execution, or a few hours before it is scheduled. Everyone is escorted to a witness room, which is adjacent to the execution chamber. Most prisons have either a one-way mirror or see-through glass in place, which separates the two.