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Wednesday, September 16, 1998

Plans in works for new Texas execution chamber

By MICHAEL GRACZYK Associated Press Writer

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) - It looks like Texas will be getting a new death chamber.

Corrections officials are reviewing construction bids to rebuild the death house that's been in use since 1924 at the Walls Unit in downtown Huntsville.

"The new one will address the problem of being able to separate everyone and be a better operation," Larry Fitzgerald, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said Tuesday. "It will allow for more space on both sides of the witness area."

The execution chamber underwent a minor renovation nearly three years ago when a wall was erected, dividing the small witness area in half to accommodate survivors of murder victims who wished to witness the execution of the person convicted of killing their loved one.

While up to five victim survivors crowd into one side of the room, the condemned inmate may select up to five people to watch from the other half of the witness area. The procedure is designed so there is no contact between the victim's witnesses and the inmate's witnesses.

As now configured, each side of the room can accommodate three to four people who stand shoulder-to-shoulder up against a plastic window to watch the procedure.

Other witnesses, including news reporters, state and prison officials, law enforcement authorities and prison guards stand behind them to try to get a glimpse of the strapped-down inmate, who generally has a warden standing near his head and a chaplain near his feet.

The result often can be more than a dozen people crowded into two identical spaces about the size of a pair of walk-in closets.

"When we included the victim's witnesses ... it was at best a stopgap measure to divide the room," Fitzgerald said. "This will allow for more space on both sides of the witness area."

Under the new configuration, the victim and inmate witnesses would be seated.

"The plans I have seen call for five seats to be bolted to the ground, kind of like stadium-type seats, to enable those who are not family members a better view of the whole process."

Under the terms of the bid, the winning contractor will partially demolish and replace the roof and walls, install new doors and windows, plumbing and air conditioning, plus exterior work like ramps, paving and handrails to accommodate disabled people.

The bid for contract went out in July. As of Tuesday, it had not been awarded. The cost of the project was not immediately known.

From 1924 until July 1964, 361 men went to the electric chair in the room, including five on the first day of use, Feb. 9, 1924.

The legislature in 1974 approved lethal injection as the method of capital punishment and the chair was replaced by a gurney. Eight years later, on Dec. 7, 1982, convicted killer Charlie Brooks Jr. became the first inmate in the nation to be put to death by injection.

Since then, the execution total has reached 158, the highest in the nation among states with the death penalty. The Texas tally includes 157 men and one woman - Karla Faye Tucker earlier this year.

The chamber was refit in the mid 1980s with the wheeled gurney replaced by a steel table bolted to the floor. New jail bars were installed along with brighter lighting and a light blue paint job to replace the dark brown on the brick walls.

In 1993, the double pane of plastic windows - on each side of the jail bars - was installed in what prison officials described as a safety and security measure. A microphone system also was put in so witnesses could better hear the inmate's final words.