Death Row: The Final Minutes

Death Row: The Final Minutes by Michelle Lyons

Paperback, 304 pages

Published 3rd May 2018 by Blink Publishing

Shelves: crime-thriller-mystery, death, non-fiction, read, read-in-2020, series-or-companions, title-appeal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

IN 12 YEARS, MICHELLE LYONS WITNESSED NEARLY 300 EXECUTIONS.

First as a reporter and then as a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Michelle was a frequent visitor to Huntsville's Walls Unit, where she recorded and relayed the final moments of death row inmates' lives before they were put to death by the state.

Michelle was in the death chamber as some of the United States' most notorious criminals, including serial killers, child murderers and rapists, spoke their last words on earth, while a cocktail of lethal drugs surged through their veins.

Michelle supported the death penalty, before misgivings began to set in as the executions mounted. During her time in the prison system, and together with her dear friend and colleague, Larry Fitzgerald, she came to know and like some of the condemned men and women she saw die. She began to query the arbitrary nature of the death penalty and ask the question: do executions make victims of all of us?

An incredibly powerful and unique look at the complex story of capital punishment, as told by those whose lives have been shaped by it, Death Row: The Final Minutes is an important take on crime and punishment at a fascinating point in America's political history.

This was one of those books that I picked up as soon as I saw it - the title told me that this was something that I would find extremely interesting. Despite this, I also have to admit that I was slightly doubtful that it would give me a fresh, new insight into what is a deeply emotive, complex and controversial subject. Thankfully, this book and author surprised me with the openness and honesty they held. 

Death Row: The Final Minutes is a book about both the final minutes of several Death Row inmates and also the story of the author, Michelle Lyons  and her late colleague Larry Fitzgerald. 

I think that you will either love or hate Michelle which could be problematic for readers, but I like to think that if I knew her in 'real life', we'd be friends. Lyons was incessantly passionate about her job - at points quite fiercely so as seen in her retorts to anybody who disagreed with her or the death penalty. I can understand and admire her passion but I don't think that the two opposing views on the death penalty were addressed as much as they could have been and sometimes it felt that she was so stuck in her own way of thinking that she couldn't consider  opposing thoughts. Michelle continuously tells us that the majority of executions that she watched didn't affect her, but it soon becomes clear that, unsurprisingly, they did. I admire Lyons refreshing honesty in this book and her recognition that her stoic front didn't completely reflect what was really going on inside her head.

The book gives us great insight into Death Row and its workings, using both transcripts of voice notes and diary entries from Lyons as reference points. These are the true highlight points of the book - getting to learn what it is really like in the death chamber - how the prisoners, executioners and observers all react in their own, unique ways.  We get to learn about both the build-up to execution and the details of the execution itself. For me, whilst reading about the prisoners last words were moving and often profound I found the most interesting and harrowing part hearing about the observers, or often lack of, in the chamber - particularly the mothers of both the victims and the perpetrators. 

It was of course very interesting to read about the last words and requests of the Death Row inmates and it's something that I think most people will find very emotive and thought provoking. You can easily go online and find prisoners last words and their last meal requests, but nonetheless I thought there was a good, genuine, selection shared in this book. I really enjoyed reading about Michelle and Larry's interactions with the prisoners but I wish there was more of this interaction included - though perhaps i'm just greedy for more information! 

Overall this was an interesting read and I think it will appeal to anybody who is interested in true crime, criminology or forensic psychology. Death Row: The Final Minutes offers an honest and unique view on execution and how it affects those who have to witness it.