When they are led to their death, why don't deathrow inmates fight viciously?

Question

Instead of the long wait and the slow psychological torture, and instead of the agonizing pain of the electric chair or the needle, why don't they fight the guards to the death? Being shot to death quickly and on your own terms seems less painful. At least in their very last hour, why do they allow the state to strap them to the chair and do all the preparations slowly without fighting the state?

Answer 1

After all the court dates, the humiliations, turned down appeals, and loss of all hope.
Most prisoners have come to grips with their religious side. The horrors of what they have done, to arrive at this station in life, the horrors of what they have had to endure inside the prison. The hurt of his/her families and lives affected.
It has got to be a welcome relief to leave this earth, in as dignified manner as one can muster up....I suspect he is glad to have it be finished...thank you for asking my opinion

Answer 2

The harshest punishment a human can endure is being isolated continuously from other people. These men and some women have waited years for "that time" to actually happen. Through all those years of imprisonment they have been told what to do by prison staff and officials. Most I am sure if not all are looking forward to ending this torturous existence and feeling the serenity of ever lasting freedom.

Answer 3

It's called acceptance. They've made their peace with their god and those important to them while sitting on death row. What purpose would it serve to put up a fight at the last minute? Being shot doesn't guarantee that it would be any less painful or bring death any more quickly.

Answer 4

They have accepted their fate. By being held to account is a relief." There are worse things than death; a coward dies a thousands death but the brave man once". Being in Iraq not knowing when your turn will be coming up is bad.

By being on death row their an opportunity to find forgiveness and understanding. If a person has been living a private hell without rest, where does a person find rest? In forgiveness; self and other inspite of them. How long does a man need to live? Where is our value? In giving and helping others.

Just because a man is physically in lockdown, it's not the end of the world.

"If the young man knew and the old man could" - Chinese proverb

Answer 5

I am only imagining here so don't put a lot of value into this:

Kicking and screaming all the way to the chair is pretty pointless since they know they will die anyway. I think they decide to go to that place of their own volition and in some small way retain any dignity they may feel they still have. Acceptance is a strength, not a weakness - in the countless days leading up to that day, truth (as only they could hear it) has spoken to them.

Answer 6

not being on death row myself all i can do is speculate. here goes. i would gladly be led to my death peaceably than spend 23 of 24 hours a day in a 6x9 cell forever. guards are not allowed to carry weapons when handling prisoners. some of them i am sure do fight others are grateful to know this world is finally going to be a bad memory. while still others are going on to a better place.

Answer 7

1. They know that It's hopeless
2. If they fight back and someone is accidently killed on their behalf, they will get sent to a deeper level of hell
3.electric chair and needle aren't slow and painful, people who work on death row want the inmates death to be as humane as possible (as horrible as that sounds)

Answer 8

While I can't be sure as I've not been in this position, I would guess it's because their spirit has been broken. When one's spirit is broken, they no longer care what happens, all hope is gone. I have been in this position, and when I no longer have hope, I want to die. My spirit was broken, it's taking a long time to build it back up. So that's what I think. Besides, they would soon be overpowered and get hurt anyway, they know they can't escape the end of the road.
may peace be with you

Answer 9

Sometimes, when you have done something so terribly wrong to someone and been on death row for a long time, death is a welcome relief from the suffering one does in his own head. I think it must be the same as being sick for a very long time and welcoming death to get out of the misery.

Answer 10

Because by the time the death event arrives, they have accepted it and peacefully take their punishment. They are no longer interested in going out in a "blaze of glory" -- they know it would serve no purpose -- besides, don't assume your way out would be less painful; could be ten times worse for all you know! They got to that point for a reason -- their decision in the first place to totally ignore the law and the ethics of humanity; they know it and, maybe with a crazy sort of "quiet dignity", accept their fate.

Answer 11

Their guards are trained in compliance enforcement. They wouldn't necessarily shoot an unarmed prisoner. They do have a lot of different ways to hurt them, and cause them to wait until the injuries are healed enough to repeat the process.
How much pain do you want?
Many prisoners who commit the kinds of crimes that land them on death row, have PTSD. Unfourtunately there doesn't seem to be enough effective therapy to enable them to live more normal lives and to realize that murder gets you killed.

I had a severe case of PTSD from the war and other experiences in my youth and overcame through practice with SGI-USA. Because it is free, and doesn't require elaborate ceremonies, or rigid rules, or abandoning your power to a deity, most people who even get to go to a meeting don't want to try it.