top of page

INSIDE DEATH ROW

Inside Death Row with Trevor McDonald, [television programme, online], Prod. credit n.k., Prod. company n.k., Prod. country n.k., 21:00 30/7/2014, ITV, 60mins. http://bobnational.net/record/234800, (Accessed 20/10/2015)

  • State of Indiana in Chicago oldest most notorious highest security prison

  • 1900 inmates serving long sentences for unspeakable crimes

  • “When I came at you I wasn’t jus gonna stick you an inch, I was gonna run something all the way through!

  • 12 are due to be executed

  • Dark world

  • Super intendant bill (signs in every week to check on inmates) “they’re all different, there are some characters that have characteristics that are likable”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

The description of the inmates in this documentary gives me an insight into the lifestyle of the inmates as well as their personailities. The super intendant talks about the different characteristics each of the inmate holds

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

Tattoos are common within all the prisoners, i am curious to know the meaning behind them and why they have these tattoos? what type of prisoners have the tattoos? what type of person do you have to be to have your body covered in tattoos? Does this cause assumptions towards society?

 

I have noticed common hairstyles and beards amongst the prisoners, many of them have beard's and goatee's and longer hairstyles. 

 

The mug shot on the bottom row identifies the prisoner with a front view and a number for his identity in the prison.

 

The image to the right on the bottom row shows a man who entered a woman's house with the intention of rape. He did not go through with the rape but instead slit the woman's throat and her daughter's who was also in the house. 

“I’m the kind of guy that deserves to be in prison” “I would take a gun and I would pay my bills, and I wouldn’t think nothin about it-wouldn’t bother me at all”

 

"I saw all the red dots coming through his house”- (caught for shooting a policemen). He laughed when given death penalty and was called evil. “ I always knew as a kid I would end up in prison” “curiois for prison from young age”

Each of the prisoner is labelled so that the staff know where each of them are at all times to prevent any fights occuring

This prison inmate shows dramatic weight loss in these images from the reduced food consumption during his time in prison  

The in mate has a pet cat as a privelge 

13 years old-double homicide 1989 sent down. Went to prison at 15. “still has tragic elements as it did 25years ago” “it’ll always be with me” sentenced to 170 years. He robbed someones house as they didn’t want their grass cut. (for a fair) which ended in double homicide

 

  • Psychosis (people get when getting used to prison life)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This inmate keeps his mind strong with his quotes written on the wall. The images show him as a young child at 15 years old. He has spent his entire life in prison. He talks about how he has never experienced any normal life experiences like most people, he has never been on a plane, never had to pay his taxes, never drove a car. This inmate seemed relatively normal compared to the others, which made me think about their psychological state and what brings them to create the crimes they have commited

“I gotta watch my wife grow old through these bars”

They can earn privileges and can request a hair cut twice a week

37years and no incidents with the sheers or scissor

 

 

 

“I wish I could start all over again” “make the best of what you have"

 

 

  • Man-in cell for killing wife and two daughters. 250 2 years ago 166 now. No contact with any other inmates

  • There is a feeling of isolation. " It is the same as you would put an animal in a cage"

  • Prison life- Unchanging routine

  • Does the mood change before an execution:? Yes quieter. At midnight used to beat on the bars.

  • Death inspires unusual friendships

  • “If you show a sign of weakness the sharks will circle”

  • Average sentence is 52 years

  • It is important to have executional order

  • Prisoner escaped death row-he had a new trial. 150 years sentence instead of death row.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

This mug shot shows no remorse.

The image in the centre shows the inmate with his cat- the only relationship he has he begins to treasure this cat.

being led to be killed

“I went in with the intention of rape. I couldn't go through with it so I slit the mothers throat and then the daughters" 

 

 

 

Evaluation/How this can influence my project?

 

  • As much as we find disgust and hatred towards the inmates and their crimes, we also have a great level of curiosity to their story and their crime

  • The documentary gives me an insight to their physical appearance and their personality, as well as their mental state

Growing up behind bars: Sir Trevor McDonald with Ronald L. Sanford who is serving a 170-year sentence for committing a double-murder at the age of 13
 

Softer side of a kill: Death Row inmate Frederick Baer lives for his pet cat Lucy, yet this is the same man who slit the throat of an innocent young mother and nearly decapitated her child

 

Mcdonald, S. T. (2013) My nightmare on death row: The gripping dispatch from Indiana state prison of broadcaster sir Trevor McDonald’s chilling encounter with an unrepentant double-killer. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2257579/Sir-Trevor-McDonalds-chilling-encounter-Death-Row-killer-Ronald-L-Sanford-Indiana-State-Prison.html (Accessed: 2 November 2015).

bottom of page