Prepare yourself for aN exclusive and fascinating journey through the criminal mind! What Goes Through the Mind of a Death Row Inmate? By Dr. Bill Kimberlin Death is inevitable. There is no escaping it. We are all going to die at some point; some will just die sooner than others. Death is one of those few “constants” that we all have to deal with throughout our life. Louise Bundy wipes away a tear as she tells her son Ted: ‘You will always be my precious son.’ He was executed minutes later. (Credit: Associated Press) Have you ever wondered For many, this is all they how you would die? Or ever really think about. even thought about how You see, the people that your life may end? The I talk to are all death row people that I interview inmates who have been on a regular basis think sent to a prison within about these very ques- a prison where they are tions day in and day out. condemned to die. For some, these thoughts become all consuming. Not too many people can say the exact manner of executing a person death they are going to changes from month experience or the exact to month and state to date of their eventual de- state. In reality, they may parture from this world never really know un- but for those who have til the time comes as to been sentenced to die for what drugs will be ad- their actions, they can. In ministered to them in fact, they will eventually order to end their life. hold in their own hands, a piece of paper that will A select few may choose tell them the exact time such options as the elec- and date that their life tric chair or the firing will be taken. Depending squad in order to gain on the state they reside more media attention in, they may even get to but it has been my experi- make a choice as to the ence over the past decade manner of death. An op- of dealing with inmates tion, if you will, on how on death row, if they have they wish the state to pro- to be executed, then they ceed in murdering them. want to go in a way that Most will elect to have is as painless as possible, their life to be taken by an unlike the way they took unknown combination the lives of their victims. of lethal drugs that will be administered through It was Elizabeth Kubler- their veins until they are Ross who first discovered dead. I say “unknown” that when people are con- drugs because of the way fronting their own death, the laws are written in they tend to go through this country, the types different stages before of drugs used in the le- coming to teams with it. thal injection method of Denial, Anger, Bargaining A death chamber in Texas. (Credit: Getty Images) for extra time, Depression, apart from those who and finally Acceptance. may be terminally ill She outlined these stages awaiting their death is back in 1970 and mostly the danger that can be for those who were fac- associated with the stag- ing death based on a ter- es they may go through. minal illness of some sort People who are termi- or just reaching the end nally ill may pray for extra of their normal life expec- time in order to see their tancy. In 2016, much of son or daughter graduate this still remains true to or get married. People form even on death row. suffering from a terminal illness may get mad at I have seen first-hand; God or their higher pow- condemned inmates go er because they feel like through these very stag- they have been cheated es before they depart this out of life. For the con- world. The one thing that demned inmate, they may lash out on their an- rational thought process ger towards anyone they by any standard but then come in contact with. again, most of these guys They feel that the state did not end up on death is just as guilty as they row based on rational are for putting them to thoughts to begin with. death since “every mur- der is a sin” in their eyes. So, what goes through An inmate awaiting their the minds of these con- final execution date may demned killers before bargain for extra time by they are put to death? killing one more person. This question is not as I have stood next to an easy to answer as many inmate set to die in less would think. In Ohio, than a week and his idea where I have spent the of “buying more time” majority of my time re- was be to kill the very next searching on death row, person he comes into there is a lot that goes on contact with since the during the last 30 days state would then have to of the inmate’s life. Af- try them for another mur- ter exhausting all of their der and therefore post- appeals in the court sys- pone their scheduled ex- tem, which may take up- ecution date. The major wards of 18-20 years, and problem with this theory after they have been giv- was the fact that I was the en a number of so-called ONLY person with him at “Phantom-Dates” which the time! This was one of are really just dates set the few times that I have down for the record to re- ever really feared for my flect, and after they have life while being on death gone in front of the clem- row with countless in- ency board to ask for mer- mates at any given time. cy, only then does reality A death Row cell in Florida (Credit: Florida Department of Cor- rections) seem to set in. ing preventative care for diabetes, mental health, Approximately 30 days and so on. before their final execu- tion date is set, the con- I have one inmate who demned inmate is moved has had surgery to re- from their normal death move cancer, given che- row pod where they have motherapy, radiation been able to enjoy such therapy, and around the amenities as; cable tele- clock care for years. All in vision, handheld video order to put him to death games, food commis- and all at the expense of sary, outside recreation taxpayers in the State of time, working on various Ohio. But that is a differ- arts and crafts, and en- ent debate to be had at joying being out of their another time. cells for the majority of the day along with near- The last 30 days of life ly unrestricted visitation for the condemned in- from family and friends, mate may very well be to now a segregated part the worst 30 days of of death row where they their entire sentence. It are placed on what is is during this time that known as “suicide watch”. they are “forced”, if you In Ohio, it seems that the will, to think about their state will go through ex- own impending death. It traordinary measures to is now when they must keep the condemned sit and think about their inmate alive in order to own final arrangements. execute them. While on Who will claim their death row, the inmates body, where will they be receive any and all neces- buried, what happens to sary medical care includ- them after death, and will it hurt? It is during this be laid to rest accord- time period where the ing to the families wish- inmate must sit down es. Many however will and decide what to do not have the luxury of a with their worldly pos- funeral but instead will sessions. The life they have to have their body have collected over the claimed by the state in past 2 or more decades which they will be buried behind bars that fits into on prison grounds. There an 8x10 cell must now be are also decisions to be given to someone. Usual- made as to what their ly, close friends they have last meal will be, who will become attached to on witness their execution, death row over the years. and what will be their They actually put a lot of final words. For most, thought into this process even though these can because it makes them be trying on them psy- feel more human. To be chologically, it is still the able to leave something easiest part of their final behind of themselves days. It takes their minds to someone gives them off of what is really going some sort of sense of be- through their minds, the longing. They must also uncertainty. contact any family mem- bers, if there are any left Sitting down with these that are either alive or inmates as their days on willing to talk to them, earth draw to an end is to see about funeral ar- mentally exhausting. Lis- rangements. A few of the tening to them tell me lucky ones will be able to who gets what when have their family receive they die or what they their body following the have chosen for their last execution and they will meal and why is easy to discuss. In fact, from a psychological viewpoint, I find it fascinating to hear why they have come to the de- cisions that they have concerning their last meal or their final statement.