Transcript of Alpha Otis Stephens' 1984 Execution

— -- The state of Georgia recorded all its executions since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty. Following is a transcript of Alpha Otis Stephens' Dec. 12, 1984 execution. Stephens was still breathing after the first jolt of electricity, so prison officials had to initiate a second electrocution. He was declared dead 19 minutes after the first surge of electricity hit his body. He had been sentenced to death for a murder committed during a 1974 burglary.

Commissioner: "There's no reason to delay."

Warden: "Very well. On my count of three, press the button. One, two, three."

Marable: "The execution now has begun. There was one small jerk from the condemned at the time the execution was initiated. He is sitting very still now, and we are entering the second phase of the execution."

Marable: "We're now entering the third phase of the execution. No movement from the condemned. No activity and no movement from the witnesses."

Marable: "He appears to be relaxing a little bit more now. There's sixty seconds remaining on the third phase of the execution. There's a slight movement from the condemned's head — he seems to be moving his head from side to side slightly."

Warden: "I show the time at 12:19."

Marable: "Commissioner, he is still moving his head, and he seems to have slumped down in a relaxing type of position in the chair. But his head is moving from side to side slightly."

Marable: "Commissioner, Mr. (Long?), the execution is completed at this time. The electrical panel box is secured and locked. I do not detect any movement from the condemned at this time. He seems to have stopped moving his head and also his arms."

Voice 1: "I show the time at 12:20."

Commissioner: "You're in the (lapse?) time countdown, is that correct?"

Marable: "Yes sir. We're into the first minute of the lapse time now. No movement from any of the witnesses at this time, and no movement from the condemned. We have now completed one minute of lapse time, four minutes remaining. Two minutes of laps time completed at this time, three minutes remaining."

Marable: "Still very little movement from any of the witnesses, and I detect no movement from the condemned at this time.

Voice 1: "I show the time at 12:22."

Marable: "Commissioner? — Yes. — Mr. Long? — Yes. — There is some slight movement, he's still moving his head slightly. The only thing we can do is continue 'til the physicians can check him after the lapse time has expired.

Commissioner: "Dont vary from your checklist"

Marable: "Okay, we have completed three minutes of lapse time. Two minutes remaining. Commissioner? Mr. Long? — Yes — He is still moving his head slightly. Kind of a bobbing up and down movement."

"Commissioner? We have complete four minutes of lapse time, we have one minute remaining. From my vantage point, I do detect, or it seems to be that he is breathing. Commissioner, Mr. Long, we have completed the five minute lapse time — stand by for physicians check."

Marable: "Commissioner? It appears and the doctors agree — that he's still breathing. Do you want us to check him and then go through it again — or just go ahead and go through it again?"

Commissioner: "Check him, and then go through it again. Definitely check him. Don't vary from the checklist."

Marable: "Alright."

Commissioner: "Have them check him."

Marable: "We announce that we going do it again?"

Commissioner: "It doesn't say so. It remains on."

Marable: "OK."

Voice 1: "The time is 12:26 and 30 seconds."

Marable: "Commissioner? The doctors have verified that he is still alive."

Commissioner: "Repeat the execution."

Marable: "Very well."

Commissioner: "Better check all the connections. Did you tell the witnesses that we're repeating it?"

Marable "No, I didn't."

Commissioner: " I think you should tell them."

Marable: "You want me to just advise them that we're repeating the process and not going into detail?"

Commissioner: "That's right."

Marable: "Commissioner? the superintendent is entering the execution chamber and approaching the mic at this time to advise the witnesses that we will proceed again with the execution."

Commissioner: "Willis if you can tell them that some vital signs were remaining, so the execution will repeat. If you could get that message to them."

Marable: "It's too late now; he's already briefed them and he's on his way back in, Sir."

Commissioner: "Fine, alright."

Voice 1: "I show the time as 12:28."

Executioner: "Okay, Commissioner, we'll proceed at this time. On my count of three, press your buttons. One, two, three.

Marable: "Commissioner, Mr. Long, the execution is initiated again at this time. The condemned made one big jerk and now he is relaxing in the chair. I do not detect any other movement from the condemned at this time."

"We have completed the first and the second phase of the execution — we are now into the third phase. I do detect his head moving from side-to-side again. We're still into the third phase of the execution."

"Commissioner? Mr. Long? — Yes — He is still at this time moving his head from side-to-side and appears to be breathing. We'll continue, just like we did previously."

"We have 15 seconds remaining on the third phase of the execution. Commissioner, Mr. Long, the third phase of the execution is completed. The equipment is switched off and secured at this time. We're now into the five minutes lapse time."

Commissioner: "What is the status of the condemned?"

Marable: "Sir, he appears to be breathing to me."

Commissioner: "You're going to have them check those sponges and check those connections, There's something they don't have connected, right Willis."

Marable: "Yes sir. Do you want us to go ahead and complete this whole thing, and then ??"

Commissioner: "Yes, complete the phase and then go ahead and make your check."

Marable: "Commissioner? Mr. Long? We have completed one minute of lapse time and we have four minutes remaining. I might also advise at this time that I do not detect any movement from him at this time. He appears to have stopped moving. Still no movement from any of the witnesses. They are just sitting very still, observing the condemned in his chair."

Voice 1: "I show the time as 12:32."

Marable: "We have now completed two minutes of lapse time; we have three minutes remaining. I might also add that I do not detect any movement from the condemned. Commissioner? Mr. Long? We have now completed three minutes lapse time; we have two minutes remaining. There is still no movement from the condemned."

Marable: "Commissioner? Mr. Long? We have completed four minutes of lapse time, we have one minute remaining. Still, no detectable movement from the condemned. He does seem to have stopped moving entirely. We have completed our five minutes of lapse time; stand by for the physicians' check."

Marable: "At this time the superintendent and the two physicians are entering the execution chambers for their check. The first doctor is now in the process of making his check for vital signs.

Voice 1: "I show the time as 12:36. — I show the time as 12:37."

Marable: "The second doctor is still in the process of conducting his check for vital signs. The Superintendent is at this time — Commissioner, Mr. Long — in the process of briefing the witnesses that at 12:37 hours, this date, the condemned was pronounced dead. He has instructed all witnesses to depart the witness room and go back to the front of the institution at this time. The curtains are drawn."