It would be well to turn such lists over to the police, since
they could well have people on them who had homicidal-sadistic
tendencies>
> Subject: States seek out volunteers to view executions
>
> > July 22, 2000
> >
> > Volunteers sought to view executions
> > Death-row tour included
> >
> > Simon Davis
> > National Post (Canada)
> >
> > LOS ANGELES - The number of executions in the United States is so high
> > states are advertising for volunteers to act as public witnesses to the
> > killings.
> >
> > Both Arizona and Pennsylvania have asked the curious to apply and are
> > offering days out on death row to see how one of the "most traditional
> > forms of justice'' is meted out.
> >
> > A total of 38 states have the death penalty and the majority require
> > public
> > witnesses. Most say there should be at least six people present with no
> > connection to the crime or to the media.
> >
> > The U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. There were
> > only 11 executions between then and 1984, but last year there were 98.
> >
> > In Arizona, where 11 inmates were scheduled for execution last year, the
> > prison service scoured the state for witnesses, advertising in the press
> > and on its Web site.
> >
> > The publicity drive proved successful and the state now has almost 100
> > volunteers.
> >
> > In other states, too, officials keep a list of people interested in
> > attending executions. But the pool of volunteers is running dry.
> >
> > All applicants are required to submit a letter detailing their reasons for
> > wanting to attend. Only a few are turned down.
> >
> > "We get all sorts of people,'' said a spokesman for the Texas Corrections
> > department, which has one of the highest numbers of executions. "They
> > range
> > from students who are doing a thesis on the death penalty to people in the
> > film industry who are featuring an execution in their film and want to see
> > a real one."
> >
> > Anti-execution campaigners say the drive to get more people to be
> > witnesses should help their cause.
> >
> > "Once you have seen what happens to someone who is electrocuted, or dies
> > from lethal injection, you will never forget it, and you will see how
> > barbaric the situation is,'' said a spokesman for the Human Rights
> > Commission To End the Death Penalty.
> >
> > Nearly all state correction departments now have their own Web site, which
> > gives precise details about executions, including, in some cases, how
> > witnesses are given refreshments before the execution.
>