The end of the gas chamber?
Lethal injection is rapidly becoming the universal method of execution in America although some of the states which previously used the gas chamber, such as Arizona and California, now offer it as an alternative method.
On Tuesday, April 21st, 1992, 39 year old Robert Alton Harris was put to death in the gas chamber at San Quentin Prison in California's first execution for 25 years.
At 6.07. a prison official operated the lever, slowly lowering the pellets of cheesecloth wrapped sodium cyanide into the small vat of sulfuric acid beneath the chair to create the lethal, hydrocyanic gas. Harris took a number of deep breaths and for several minutes appeared to gasp and twitch convulsively. His head snapped back and then dropped as he strained against the straps. After a minute his hands seemed to relax. His mouth was open and his face flushed and turning blue. Three minutes later there was a cough and a convulsion.

At 6.21 a.m. (eleven minutes after the start) Warden Daniel Vasquez declared Harris dead and announced the words Harris had chosen to be remembered by. Taken from the film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, they were: "You can be a king or a street sweeper. But everybody dances with the grim reaper."
David Edwin Mason became the next person to suffer death by lethal gas in California. He was executed, in accordance with Procedure No. 762 at San Quentin, on August 24th 1993 for the murders of four elderly women in 1980 and of a fellow inmate in 1982. At 12:05 a.m. Mason was escorted into the chamber. At 12:09 a.m. the lethal gas was introduced into the chamber and Mason was pronounced dead at 12:23 a.m.

It looked at the time as though Mason's gassing would be the last but on January 30th 1998 Ricky Sanderson was executed in the gas chamber at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina for stabbing a 16-year old girl to death in 1985. Having been on death row for nearly 13 years 38 year old Sanderson waived his right to further appeals. His last words were "I'm dying for a deed I did and I deserve death for it and I'm glad Christ forgave me."
The execution commenced at 2.01 a.m. EST and he was pronounced dead at 2:19 a.m., 18 minutes later. He died in just a pair of white boxer shorts, which is standard procedure, according to prison officials. He was seated in a wooden chair and wearing a leather mask to hide facial contortions.
The last person to be gassed was Walter LeGrand, on March 4th 1999. He was executed in Arizona's gas chamber at his request (apparently as a protest against the death penalty). A week previously his brother Karl had chosen lethal injection.)

LaGrand also took 18 minutes to die after his executioners dropped the cyanide pellets into the acid, enveloping him in a cloud of white, steam-like fumes. This was Arizona's first gassing since Donald Eugene Harding in 1992, who's death took 11 minutes and prompted the change to lethal injection.
The cruelty of gassing is well illustrated by the two films based upon the case of who went to the San Quentin gas chamber on June 3rd 1955 for a murder that many believe she was framed for.

Lindsey Wagner played Barbara Graham in the later version of "I Want to Live" and gave a very moving performance. Her portrayal showed clearly the time it takes to prepare the prisoner, get them into the gas chamber and for them to pass into unconsciousness when the gas is finally released.
For reasons of humanity, safety and cost most states have now abandoned gassing. Most of America's gas chambers were built in the 1920's by Eaton Metal Products of Salt Lake City Utah and are all getting very old. The seals have hardened and are liable to leak. Meticulous maintenance of the chamber is therefore vital as a leak could have fatal consequences to staff and witnesses. It is estimated that to build a new gas chamber would cost at least $300,000 and this cannot be justified when set against the cost of the equipment required for lethal injection.
Wyoming has the old gas chamber from its Rawlins Prison on display and the public are invited to sit in it and even be strapped in and have the door closed on them!