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Step 1
Set up early at the prison. The prison will be locked down several hours ahead of the execution time, and nothing gets in or out of a prison during a lock down. Security is tight and you will be searched. Bring food with you, and know where the bathrooms are. Expect prison officials to restrict the media to a particular area. Understand the ground rules and follow them.
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Step 2
Prepare yourself if you are a witness to the execution. Very few journalists get to actually see the execution; most wait outside for word that it happened. News organizations are selected by lottery to send their witness of choice. If you are a witness, you must realize that you will be watching someone die. Everyone handles this differently. If you don't think you can deal with the situation, let another reporter do it. Many veteran reporters decline, so don't be afraid to turn down the invitation. If you are a witness, take note of expressions and last words of the condemned, as well as witness reactions. The duty of the reporter-witness is to come out after the execution and answer the questions of other reporters.
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Step 3
Preview the execution in your early live shots. Executions usually happen at midnight, but reporters need to be set up early in the afternoon, since TV stations want live shots for their afternoon newscasts. Have a background package prepared profiling the condemned, why he is being executed and his reaction to the impending death.
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Step 4
Outline details of the preparations in the early live shots. Prison officials will usually come out in the afternoon and provide an update on visitors, the mood of the condemned, and the last meal. Always ask if there is any chance of a last-minute reprieve. There are always appeals to the Supreme Court and governor. At this point, reporter-witnesses to the execution may be taken inside to the execution chamber.
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Step 5
Go down to interview protesters. At a certain point in the evening, prison guards will escort reporters to a designated area where protesters are allowed to stand. There are always people who come to executions to protest capital punishment. There are also a number of people who come to support the execution, or who have a morbid fascination with death. Interview them quickly. You usually don't have much time before the guards take you back to your designated area.
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Step 6
Wait for the execution. If it happens at midnight, then your late-news live shot will also be a preview. Expect delays. There are often problems with equipment or legal matters to resolve. The warden could come out in 15 minutes, or it could take several hours; you never know. Sometimes the warden comes out to say there will be no execution. If your TV news station wants a live shot as soon as details emerge, you must be on standby from midnight on.
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Step 7
Debrief the warden and witnesses when they come out. Details include the executed person's last words, mood, whether she waved to anyone, whether she seemed remorseful, if she sought religious counsel and what will happen to the body. The morning news will probably want a package from you, so have that in mind when you are doing your interviews.
