Executions have been public
events for much of Western history, and at times people close to the
victim participated. During the 20th Century in the U.S., public lynchings
occurred in addition to public executions. Both the nature of the public
deaths and the excited crowd behavior lead to 'private execution
statutes,' which helped to support the death penalty and undercut a
growing abolitionist movement.
Current interest in televising executions
has supporters with different opinions on capital punishment. Some people
support capital punishment and believe it would deter if only the public
saw it. The
father of one victim interviewed in Sister Helen Prejean's Dead Man
Walking believed “what we should do is fry the bastards on
prime-time” to “see if that doesn’t give second thoughts to anybody
thinking of murder”
Interestingly,
the condemned man also thought the execution should be televised because
it “would change some minds” when people to “see what they are
really doing”. Some legislators such as Senator Mark Hatfield agree, as
well as talk show host Phil Donohue who wanted to televise an
execution.
Others believe executions
should be televised because it is a government function and democratic
accountability demands that it be done in public. Still others believe that
there is a First Amendment Right that would allow the media to televise or
webcast it. If a newspaper reporter with a notepad can be in there, isn't
it discrimination to keep out a television reporter with a camera?
During preparations for the execution of
Timmothy McVeigh, an internet entertainment
group (best known for Voyeurdorm.com) requested
the Bureau of Prisons have a webcam in the execution chamber. The BOP says
it's
out of the question and there's an important
interest in "not sensationalizing the event, maintaining prison security and respecting the privacy of the
condemned individual." Entertainment Network Inc (ENI)
would like to have
the event on a website, with $1.95 access, payable by credit card (to
discourage minors viewing it) and with the proceeds going to bombing victims. More
on this topic
