Michael Phillips

of their lives.

The hardest thing about lethal injections is that they strap you down where you can't move.

And you're sitting there absolutely helpless until the drugs take effect.

First of all, the room is too small.

My recollection is there was a circular set of chairs threading out 10 feet, 20 feet in a curve.

It may have been a corner.

But it was barely room to hold the lawmen who wanted to witness the execution.

And Vanessa Sapp and three reporters.

His wife was not present.

She didn't want to be, and she didn't want the kids to see it.

As for the audience reaction, I don't recall that there was anything dramatic.

I interviewed him before the execution.

And we came up with an idea.

Unfortunately, it was mine, that if he felt pain while he was dying, that he should shake his head.

So I decided.

And I say it's unfortunate because as things were, I was unable to determine if he was giving me that signal.

He seemed to die peacefully.

I had to put down a dog a couple of years ago or have the dog put down.

And I was with him while that happened.

And I couldn't, how do you say?