Federal guidelines outline a step-by-step process: the condemned inmate is moved to a specially designated execution chamber, strapped to a gurney, and connected to IV lines. The drugs — most commonly pentobarbital in recent years — are administered in a sequence designed to cause unconsciousness, followed by death through respiratory or cardiac failure.
Witnesses, including victims’ families, media, and legal representatives, are often present behind glass as the procedure takes place. Once medical staff confirm the inmate has no signs of life, the warden officially pronounces death.
While officials describe the process as controlled and clinical, critics argue it can be prone to errors, painful complications, and raises deep ethical questions. The debate continues, as executions remain a stark intersection of law, punishment, and morality.
