Old Sparky - Georgia

Georgia

Georgia's electric chair, known as "Old Sparky", located at Reidsville State Prison was installed in 1924 following the state's abolition of hanging and was the sole method of execution in Georgia until October 25, 2001. The original chair, which was painted white, was replaced in 1980 and sent from the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Center back to Reidsville, while a squat, varnished replacement was constructed to replace it. Between 1924 to 1998, Georgia electrocuted 441 prisoners. Today the original chair is on public display at the Reidsville State Prison, while its replacement is situated in a closet near the death chamber at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Center. It was famously used in the 1945 execution of Lena Baker. In 1996, Georgia State Representative Doug Teper unsuccessfully sponsored a bill to replace the state's electric chair with a guillotine in order to facilitate the use of the condemned prisoners' remains in organ donation.