The Horrific Final Moments of John Louis Evans III
On the evening of 22 April 1983, a macabre scene unfolded inside the death chamber at Holman Prison in Alabama. John Louis Evans III, a 33-year-old man convicted of murdering pawnbroker Edward Nassar during a 1977 robbery, was about to be executed in a manner that would spark national outrage and fierce debate over capital punishment.
In the days leading up to his execution, Evans was reportedly composed, even laughing in a holding cell a mere 25 feet from the chamber. He informed a prison chaplain that he was prepared to die if the US Supreme Court denied his final appeal.
A Scene of Agony and Flames
Evans was strapped into the state's infamous electric chair, known colloquially as 'Yellow Mama' due to its distinctive coat of yellow paint. At 8:30 PM, the first 30-second jolt of 1,900 volts was administered. The procedure immediately went catastrophically wrong.
The strap securing the electrode to his left leg snapped. The electrode flew off, causing sparks and flames to erupt from his body. Witnesses reported seeing smoke and sparks billowing from under the hood covering his head, and the room was filled with what was described as a pungent odour of burning flesh and clothing.
Doctors who rushed to examine him found that Evans was still alive, his heart continuing to beat. A second 30-second jolt was applied. This time, small flames were seen licking at his head, with more smoke pouring from his leg and the electrode cap on his skull. His body strained violently against the restraints, his fists clenched in a visible sign of agony.
Pleas for Mercy and a Third, Fatal Jolt
Evans' attorney, Russell Canan, witnessing the horror, begged for the process to stop. He declared it a 'cruel and unusual punishment' and called the execution 'torture… in the name of vengeance disguised as justice'.
Despite these desperate pleas, Alabama's Governor, George Wallace, refused to intervene. Evans, still alive, was strapped back into the chair for a third and final 30-second surge of electricity. After this third jolt, he finally stopped breathing. Doctors declared John Louis Evans III dead at 8:44 PM, a full 14 minutes after the botched execution began.
The event was so gruesome that even prison guards present called it 'barbaric', and officials admitted they had never seen the electric chair fail so disastrously.
The Aftermath and Enduring Debate
The execution instantly became a focal point for opponents of the death penalty, who cited it as undeniable proof that electrocution was an inhumane method that could not guarantee a quick or painless death.
In a stark contrast of perspectives, Eddie Nassar, the 73-year-old father of Evans' victim, had spoken before the execution, defending the law's ultimate penalty. He stated, 'We gotta have laws... If they let him live, he's going to come back and kill. What do you do if a rat comes into your house? You kill him. I hate to feel that way but I do.'
The tragic and fiery death of John Louis Evans III remains a chilling chapter in the history of capital punishment in the United States.
