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By Qolman Mccarthy Post TheWashington
ofthe crim, heioousness original A fifih sideis thal ofKQED. Ir wanls on into the dealhhouse First Amendhave The menrgrounds: prjn! medja wly not all had accss theseyears, television?

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o{'rhe of\he day day, lasttwo weeks I diy by daJ,thelast-two life of Edwed Earl Johnson ,the in Washinslon dAathhouseof the Mississippistate Califomia's gas phamber pfison. Johnsonwasexeculed fas by Chair A and Chair B ar in 1988.but the {ilrn crewtumed off side by side in case a double al That would seemto have fie waGr- iis csmeras tb deathscene. tion is needed- i3 six floors frout covered.Exceptfor the !irt!, the death-row cellblocks of was iq.the and most overlooked,side - fte The documenlary graphic Quentin. Since 1938, 196 p.isoners'.Have they no choice?If cellblockinrerviewswilh Johr*oo have bcen klled therby rhe media have lheir First Arnend- and othr inmares,the tensiodi of gas The cham yanide furns. the of have lhe warden, sinsins spintuals menl, don\ the condemned ainishr as a diving bel, is s reir EiBh(hlbat forbidscruel aod by Johnsotr family,and suard.s+ostalion KQED of San reh$Jsinelhroush gaechamber lwo unu$ul punishmenf wanb to have a camera to All alsto lesttheequiDment. lhiSryas fie qithings, gaspinss and gritping wirhoul Iha six ings of the next prisonerto be illed The couns - inationally, in my sulficiently ofJohnson'a death throes. mind - hold that killing a humanl minutes Ii by the sta1e. has Soneto c( beins on deathrow is not cruel and he suethe wardenbecause says Lrnu;ual. at somline a crdsing- No( much is kno\m of prisoflets' But thinksthat feelinssabout televisingtheir ddaths. overoccurs. a prisoner If is A U.S.DisrrictCounjudge hisor herdealhis thatline,l The casefor excludingeven ftieids televisinE uled 10 issuea rulin8 soon Mho madeby LinwoodBriley, rhe Eishrh Anendmnt oughl tq \,\,as slation's sui1. A KQED in weioh more than rhe Firsl Amendi waseleclrocured V;Einia in 1984. gues:"Why is it fia1 the me;1 which, in this case,hac ro d4 The Catholic bishop of Richnotrd, of crininal justice should sr and business. ] Walter Sullivan, had volunteered10 doo's? withratinss show be takenbehindclosed witDessBriley'sexeculio$, "tor,be on beingdonein our name, If I were on dealh row and a televi- there 1o pray for him . . . . ard to half atd wilh our money (ro carital sion crew wanled m as the lead confirm my oppos;tion for we would argue thal we dealh-row,infor Nishl Dead,lI punishment.'Scveral character Sarurday right 1o sce i1." askinshim imasine I d say no. l'd ask: Wh! mateswroie10 Sullivan weren't you comins around oletre nol 10attend. To dale, borh sides of lhe
punishrnentdebale hale Som abolidonists say splil. lf the

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]tidn was"14 Daysin May," a ialenl

public sees gnsliness ihe of tion, national opinion w aEainststate killings. Oth, will no,lelevised executions
ther desersitize people. Some i,voring capital pu I sy ves,because is justic il and seatre it lelevised wo , fulure h.r;icides. Orhers , ruLurenomFIltes. utners pon exe4u ons say no: will be irreated fo; thel wh.n ir lhould be qoine t tj m' s fami l yrharrai ne;er

of "Because tbeseletiers," Sullivan laler recalledabour charging his mind and declinins,"I discussed wilh Linwood Briley my participation in the excutioL He sugsested was at that my presenc an execution in cooDeration an evil. Finally I askadhim point-blank if he watied in daywe'llcome to kiu you. I He mepresent. said,'No.' " Ld deter Tbe media- print or electroniclin oi 10 that reoon fie final min ls of a Whlher the bishop 1984 10 in Drisonei'slife ffc liule more thaq the TV crewill California, 1991, miserv voveurs.sensationalislsthal would have been my aniitr, for swooDim dlke vultures a flnal One reedi;s rhesruesome. erlep' on

pasl years lo lelevise the real story Of kjLiings- how ralstare-sanclioneii ism prevailsin blacksbeins or deafh swing row disproponionatelyand how lio aJgue murderer on dealh row evr killtd fur- anyone as coldbloodedly as th gqvemment does- keepingrhe victim qhe caeedyqrr afier year and sayinS.