BBC Documentaries

The Man Who Witnessed 219 Executions (2016x54)

: 19, 2016

As spokesman for America’s busiest execution chamber, Larry Fitzgerald’s job was to witness every execution carried out by the state of Texas. He became notorious for his appearances on television, during which he detailed the final moments of the condemned. Over the course of his career, Larry watched as 219 people were put to death. The Man Who Witnessed 219 Executions follows Larry as he comes to terms with the emotional impact of watching death on an industrial scale. Originally an unapologetic supporter of the death penalty, Larry’s views changed over time. As he watched the executions of men he’d become friends with during their years on death row, Larry started to have doubts about capital punishment – and began to believe that many of those condemned to die deserved a second chance.