A projected text appears to be typed onto a wall, coolly detailing the intimate activities of three prisoners, Earl Van Denton, age 47, Paul Ruiz, age 49, and Kirt Wainwright, age 30, during the last three days of their lives leading up to their executions in January 1997. This would be the second triple execution since the death penalty was reinstated in the US in 1976.
Visitors to the installation navigate across the faces of each inmate on a computer monitor at a desk facing the projected text, while their own movements are traced and captured by the computer, producing a motion studies of their movements and pauses across the faces.
The projected is drawn from three death-watch logs kept by prison guards at the maximum security prison cell near Tucker Arkansas. The prisoners are placed under constant surveillance, and the guards are responsible for logging all of their activity, from what they eat, to when they use the toilet, to when they laugh or cry.
The logs: (excerpted)
Sunday, Jan. 5
11:50 A.M. — Inmate E. Denton (who had informed the prison authorities that he wanted no food) refused his noon meal tray. Chicken and rice, egg salad, 2 slices bread, 1 piece of cake.
12:54 P.M. — Officer Porter informed inmate (Wainwright) of visitors being here, to get dress.
1:04 — Cuffs placed on Wainwright. . . .
1:04 — Wainwright removed from cell.
1:05 — Wainwright had leg irons placed on him.
1:06 — Belly chain placed on inmate Wainwright. . . .
1:08 — Out of cell area to visit. . . .
1:17 — Inmate Wainwright visiting with Linda Taylor (his spiritual adviser), Don Nixon (a brother), Philip Nixon (another brother) and Tahitia Edwards (a close friend).
2:15 — Lieut. Moncrief (a prison officer) taking pictures of inmate Wainwright and his visitors.
2:30 — Wainwright laughing with visitors.
2:50 — Inmate (Denton) sitting on bunk tearing up some papers.
9:06 — Inmate Ruiz asked for something for a cough. Mr. Patton was called in the infirmary.
Monday, Jan. 6
1:05 A.M. — Inmate (Denton) on bunk, appears asleep.
1:20 — Inmate (Denton) repositioned himself on bed — still asleep.
1:35 — Inmate (Denton) on bunk — appears asleep.
4:46 — Inmate (Denton) refused breakfast. . . .
8:30 — Inmate K. Wainwright talking with myself (the guard keeping the log), Berry (another guard) and Porter (another guard).
10 — Inmate E. Denton refused lunch tray. . . .
8:11 P.M. — Mrs. Ackles (a nurse) entered quiet cell area and offered medication to inmate Denton, but he refused.
8:43 — Inmate Ruiz request a cigarette. It’s provided.
8:48 — Inmate Ruiz request a cinnamon roll from (his personal) property. It’s provided.
9 — Inmate (Wainwright) request to call Tisha Edwards.
9:15 — (Mr. Wainwright) in cell using the toilet.
9:24 — Inmate calling Tisha Edwards (from a phone handed into his cell).
Tuesday, Jan. 7
11:42 A.M. — Mrs. Osborn (a nurse) gives inmate Wainwright a 5 mg valium.
5:10 P.M. — Warden (Dale) Reed and Warden (Clifford) Terry standing in front of inmate Ruiz cell . . . explaining to inmate Ruiz about the execution process from the cell to the execution table. Inmate Ruiz was asked if he had any questions. . . .
5:21 — Inmate Ruiz requested a non-filter cigarette.
5:23 — Inmate Ruiz requested the TV be turned to Channel 16 (”Full House” on Fox).
5:27 — Warden Reed and Warden Terry at cell talking with inmate Wainwright. Warden Reed at cell explaining the (execution) procedures. . . .
5:30 — Inmate Wainwright responds with a little laugh to conversation with Warden — attitude appears upbeat.
5:30 — Inmate Ruiz sitting on his bunk drinking coffee and eating (a snack) while watching TV Channel 16 (”The Simpsons”).
7:45 — Nurse Ackles, escorted by (corrections officer) Lambert, issued two (2) Tylenol and (2) Pepto Bismol tablets to inmate Denton.
8 — Inmate (Wainwright) on phone talking to Rebecca Nixon (his mother).
8:37 — Inmate Denton got up and vomited in commode. I asked inmate Denton was he O.K. and he replied that the Tylenol made him sick due to not eating.
8:42 — I ask Inmate Denton do he need any medical attention. He replied no I’ll be O.K.
8:45 — I notified Mrs. Washington (on the infirmary staff) that inmate Denton had thrown up in the commode and requested a nurse to come down and check on him. . . .
9 — Inmate Denton states . . . he don’t want any medical attention. . . .
Execution Day, Jan. 8
On the last day, the inmates are allowed no visitors besides lawyers and spiritual advisers.
1:14 A.M. — Inmate (Denton) vomiting in commode — says he will be O.K.
1:20 — Infirmary was notified — says due to medication on empty stomach — O.K. to give Maalox, per Nurse Ackles.
1:57 — Nurse Ackles in to see inmate Denton. . . .
1:58 — Lt. Everette, Sgt. McDaniel handcuff inmate to remove from cell.
2:02 — Handcuffs removed in cell so inmate could vomit.
2:05 — Nurse Ackles says (Denton’s) vital signs are good. Vitals taken thru trap (door of cell).
2:17 — Nurse Ackles says inmate should not take anything but food. Inmate states he does not want food.
3:20 — Inmate was asked by Sgt. McDaniel if he wanted a shot (from the infirmary) to stop him from vomiting. . . . Inmate Denton states that he was O.K. and did not want the shot.
4:24 — Ms. Ackles entered quiet cell area with inmate Ruiz’s medication. Inmate received Tylenol. Ms. Ackles advised inmate Ruiz that she would return with his Actifed.
6:45 — Inmate (Ruiz) requested something for gas from infirmary and arrangements was made to Nurse Williams. . . .
6:51 — Nurse Hodges in quiet cell area with Maalox for inmate Ruiz. . . .
7:29 — Inmate (Ruiz) asked for and received a banana cream roll to eat with his coffee.
8:55 — Inmate (Ruiz’s) spiritual adviser in front of cell — Ms. Pat Bane.
9:08 — Inmate (Ruiz) sitting on bunk talking and holding the hand of his adviser (through the cell’s mail slot).
9:20 — Inmate still sitting on bunk and talking and holding the hand of his spiritual adviser. . . .
10:17 — Inmate Denton got off bunk and started to vomit in toilet.
10:18 — Lieut. Moncrief flushed toilet for inmate Denton. (Water controls are outside the cells.)
11:30 — Inmate (Ruiz) standing in cell drinking coffee and watching TV channel 16 Maury (Povich) talk show.
12:12 P.M. — Inmate Wainwright asked me to give inmates Ruiz and Denton a box of cakes out of his property. This was done.
1:55 — Inmate Ruiz asked if I would give inmate Wainwright a 1/2 bag of coffee out of his property.
2:08 — Mr. Frank King (a prison priest) in quiet cell to visit with inmate Denton.
Requested last meals arrive:
3 P.M. — Inmate Ruiz begins to received last meal delivered by Capt. Long (kitchen supervisor). Meal consisted of seedless grapes, salad, breadstick, crackers, salad dressing, (3) cups of coffee. Ms. P. Bane escorted out at this time.
3:01 — Inmate Wainwright received 3 cups of milk, two rolls, gravy, greens, pinto beans, rice, and four pieces of fried chicken. . . . He refused to eat. . . . (Mr. Denton made no meal request.)
3:40 — Inmate Ruiz passed the (remains) of the last meal out of the cells. Inmate Ruiz asked to keep the grapes he was eating.
3:54 — Inmate Ruiz (in the shower cage in the hall) turned water off and completed his last shower.
3:55 — Inmate Ruiz handcuffed by Lieut. Moncrief and escorted back to cell. . . .
4:15 — Inmate Ruiz stated that ”damn these grapes are good” while sitting on his bunk. . . .
4:38 — Mr. Frank King . . . and (lawyer) Roy Hartestein in to visit inmate Denton.
5:35 — Mr. Al Schay (a lawyer) entered quiet cell lobby to visit with inmate Denton.
6:45 — Mr. G. David Guntharp (a corrections official) entered quiet cell lobby and told the visitor they had five minutes left to visit.
6:51 — Tie-down team enter quiet cell lobby (after visitors depart).
6:53 — Inmate Denton exit quiet cell.
Mr. Denton is escorted by some half-dozen burly ”tie-down” guards in riot helmets to the death chamber, roughly 20 paces away down a short hallway. They strap him to the gurney within two minutes; catheters are placed in his arms within five. He has no last words for the assembled witnesses peering in through one-way glass, and is pronounced dead at 7:09 P.M. Mr. Ruiz follows in similar fashion less than an hour later. Mr. Wainwright, whose execution would be delayed in the chamber by a late appeal, was left:
8:10 — Wainwright pacing in cell, snapping his fingers and occasionally singing.
8:15 — Inmate Wainwright pacing in cell.
8:27 — Mr. Guntharp advises the attorneys to leave. . . .
8:26 — Mr. Reed approached inmate Wainwright’s cell and advised it was time. Wainwright replied let’s do it. . . .
