MomCat
Overcoming Reality Thru Technology
I am confoozed because according*to the State of Florida and the Florida Department of Corrections, both lethal injection and electrocution are still used.*Nope....."old sparky" has been taken out of commission. Lethal injection only. The chair malfunctioned the last two times it was used and was deemed "cruel and unusual punishment" so it's been retired. Lived there long enough to know.
http://www.dc.state.fl.us/index.html
In January 2000, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows lethal injection as an alternative method of execution in Florida. Florida administers executions by lethal injection or electric chair at the execution chamber located at Florida State Prison.
More info about 'Ol Sparky:
http://www.dc.state.fl.us/secretary/press/1999/elechair.html
The three-legged electric chair was constructed from oak by Department of Corrections personnel in 1998 and was installed at Florida State Prison (FSP) in Starke in 1999. The previous chair was made by inmates from oak in 1923 after the Florida Legislature designated electrocution as the official mode of execution. (Prior to that, executions were carried out by counties, usually by hanging.) It is regularly tested to ensure proper functioning.*It should be noted that the only aspect of the current electric chair that is new is the wooden structure of the chair itself. The apparatus that administers the electric current to the condemned prisoner is the same that has been used in recent years. It is regularly tested to ensure proper functioning.
So the actual chair is fairly new, but the wiring and such is (c)1923.*
(sorry about all the "*" in this post. The*iphone touchscream keeps putting them in)