My grandfather was a death row doctor

July 7, 2017 8:50 AM

For three years at the end of his life, Dr. Lee Hartman worked as a resident physician and psychiatrist at Huntsville’s Wynne Unit. From 1960 to 1963, he witnessed at least 14 executions as presiding physician, his signature scrawled on the death certificates of the condemned men. All of them died in the electric chair – “Ol’ Sparky” – a grisly method that left flesh burned and bodies smoking in the death chamber as my grandfather read their vital signs.
posted by orrnyereg (4 comments total)

That was a difficult read.
posted by yhbc at 9:14 AM on July 7, 2017

Howard Stickney, whose execution this doctor witnessed, seems quite plausibly to have (PDF) been defending a woman friend from violent sexual assault and beating by her husband. Linked story from 1961, really sexist. It appears that he was told by his lawyer that "no one would believe" that a husband could rape his wife, even though there was pretty horrific medical evidence that the husband had been sexually violent to her in the past, and that therefore this could not be submitted as his defense. It also seems possible, based on his story, that the husband beat his wife badly enough to kill her and Stickney killed him while attempting to defend her.

Looking at some of these period materials, it's bizarre how willing people were to convict people for motiveless crimes - like the poor disabled guy who was railroaded for supposedly killing a baby. And Stickney had no reason to kill the two people, unless you assume that he was telling the truth to his lawyer. Once they had decided that someone was lower class and no good, apparently it was easy to assume that of course they'd just murder someone for no reason.
posted by Frowner at 9:24 AM on July 7, 2017 [19 favorites]

Still is, Frowner. I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but we convict (and acquit) people every day based on what "type of person" they are, rather than what the evidence says. And there are still lots of people, including people in positions of power, who believe the phrase "marital rape" is an oxymoron.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 10:31 AM on July 7, 2017 [8 favorites]

An outstanding story. Well done.
posted by WyoWhy at 3:37 PM on July 7, 2017