Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

16 Wait Out Final Hour, Witness Death

Sixteen witnessed the death of Kirt Wainright, while only one - Wainright - witnessed the death of a Prescott convenience store clerk in July 1988.

Kirt Wainright was the third to die inside the execution chamber of the Arkansas Department of Corrections Cummins Unit in Varner last Wednesday, January 8.

In the end he was the only one to actually have a chance to live after his death was delayed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

Six to twelve witnesses are required by law for an execution and two members of the media, his lawyer and spiritual adviser are allowed to join this group to watch one die for the crime committed.

In the case of Kirt Wainright, the 12-foot by 15-foot witness chamber, reeking of the smell of new paint, was at its capacity.

To watch someone die is not an enjoyable task. There is a lot to think about as it is happening.

Was their soul prepared?

Are they really guilty?

Is their death justice for the crimes they have been convicted?

These question and more certainly had to be on the minds of those watching and waiting for death to come.

Witnesses in the death of Kirt Wainright included four closely related to the case.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Danny Rodgers, who worked on the case, was present on the first row along with current 8th Judicial Prosecuting Attorney Brent Haltom.

Hope Police Chief James Purtle, a lieutenant at the time, was involved in the capture in Hope.

And Finis Duvall, retired now from the Arkansas State Police, was the arresting officer in the case.

Others witnessing the execution were: Jefferson County Sheriff W.C. Brassel from Pine Bluff; Beth Kemp, director of the 8th Judicial District Crime Victims Association from Texarkana; Harold Pointer, a citizen from Pine Bluff; Sgt. Ronnie Bearden from the Dumas Police Department; Lt. James Herrington from the Dumas Police Department; Robert Hardin, former prosecuting attorney from Pickens; and James Mason, former chairman of the Board of Corrections from Stuttgart.

Wainright's attorney Craig Lambert and co-counsel Al Schay, both from Little Rock, were present.

Wainright's spiritual adviser Linda Taylor (her daughter Tish, was whom he referred to in his poem) from the Trumpet In Zion Ministries, was present.

Edith Paal an Associated Press reporter from Little Rock joined me as the two witnesses for the media.

As time drew near for the execution, Paal and I were moved from the media center near the front of the Cummins unit to the rear, across the street from execution chamber into a building housing the prison's printing shop.

Lambert, Schay and Taylor were with Wainright until they prepared him for execution.

The other 11 witnesses were in a building adjacent to ours, though they were separated by fences.

The first 11 were ushered across the street in the witness chamber and seated, then the three closest to Wainright and the two members of the media.

When you are in the witness room, you stare at three windows on a wall, seeing a reflection of the very room you are in. There is a door next to the windows. A black curtain hangs on the death chamber's side of the windows.

You could hear as Wainright was placed in the next room, the sound of metal buckles and some muted conversation.

All 16 in the room had to sign in as legal witnesses; a guard rapped on the door when this was completed.

Along with one prison guard, two other officials with the prison are in the chamber with you.

After several minutes, more talking was heard on the opposite side of the door before prison director Larry Norris entered the witness room telling the witnesses they had received a call from Governor Mike Huckabee's office who had talked with Judge Clarence Thomas' office and asked for a delay while the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed the last claim.

After several more minutes he returned and told the group the U.S. Supreme Court was meeting and we would be escorted back to our last waiting area.

Paal and I were joined by Lambert, Schay and Taylor across the street, where a guard was watching the Arkansas Razorbacks play Auburn on television.

Less than 40 minutes later Lambert received a call saying Wainright's appeal had been denied. Prison officials notified us of the same thing a few minutes later.

Less than five minutes later we were escorted again across the street to the chamber.

This time, when the guard raps on the door the curtains are opened on the other side of the windows.

Wainright is lying on a gurney with his arms out to his sides. An attendant is standing near his head monitoring his vital statistics and a clock is on the far wall.

Norris stands next to the gurney and reads the execution proclamation and asks Wainright if he has any last words.

Wainright recites his poem, says "I love you Tish. Now send me to my God."

He closes his eyes and grins. He makes a circle with his forefinger and thumb in each hand.

Norris exits the room, both executioners (out of sight) begin the lethal injection. Wainright says, "Yeah" as the injections apparently begin flowing into his body.

After two minutes his eyes open and are glazed over, his grin is gone. His fingers are relaxed. The restraints keep all ten digits of his hands pointing up.

After another 10 minutes his eyes have closed again and the coroner is called in to pronounce his death.

Norris enters the room again and reads a statement about the death.

In the media center a phone rings and his death is announced to the rest of the media by prison spokeswoman Dina Tyler.