Member-only story
The Man Who Demanded to Be Executed
His execution opened the floodgates for hundreds of death sentences
Entrepreneur Louis Harris released a poll in 1977, asking the American public whether they thought a convicted murderer should receive the death penalty. An overwhelming 71% of people thought the man should die, although 86% of people opposed filming the execution and putting it on TV. The case caught the attention of the American public because the murderer demanded “his life not be spared” and even attempted to die by suicide multiple times in prison. He wanted death by firing squad as soon as possible. 46% of respondents to the Harris poll believed the murderer wanted to die to avoid life in prison, while 26% believed he just wanted publicity and attention for himself.
The year before, Gregg v. Georgia was a landmark Supreme Court decision in the United States. In 1972, according to History, the Supreme Court ruled the death penalty was in violation of the Eighth Amendment in Furman v. Georgia, qualifying as “cruel and unusual punishment” due to the racial disparities and arbitrary ways it was being implemented by different states.
However, in 1976, the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty after legislatures still imposed it and the majority of Americans supported it. In a 7–2 decision, Gregg allowed the use of…
