Consider wearing business formal attire and ensure that you are well-groomed and put together. Look at them, talk to them, hear them.". Hearing the words in Bundy's actual voice makes the confession even creepier. He had been held for the "crime" of having set free two Iranian teenagers . [1], The first edition of Interviews Before Execution was aired on 18 November 2006, and the series was broadcast weekly on Saturday evenings thereafter. Other Great Reads: Famous Death Row last words and the weird art they inspired, Some viewers may consider it cruel to ask a criminal to do an interview when theyre about to be executed, explained Yu, in a one-hour long documentary the BBC created about the show. e9 = new Object(); On 60 Minutes this week, Bill Whitaker talks to several condemned killers on Texas' death row, just weeks before their executions. The execution will be Florida's first of the year and its first since 2019. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The show, which like all Chinese TV shows had been sanctioned by authorities, gave prisoners a rare chance to explain themselves to the nation before being executed. But the show did become popular, and its popularity became its downfall. Imagine knowing the exact day and time you were going to die. She also sometimes lost her cool and told prisoners they deserved their punishment. "I was back there with him right before the execution, and he was saying to me, 'All day long, people have been saying, What can I do to help you? Interviews Before Execution was first broadcast on 18 November 2006 on Henan Legal Channel, one of 3,000 state-owned TV stations in China. When asked about the point of his life, Lopez wasn't sure. China does not release figures on how many people they execute annually, but according to Amnesty International, China executes more people than any other country on earth, and the figure is more than an order of magnitude higher than the #2 country when it comes to executions, Pakistanthe United States is ranked sixth. KC lived in a world of aggression, uncertainty and disruption, a world of shakedowns and lockdowns. In its tone, the show feels like a cross between Americas Most Wanted and a Barbara Walters special. She died instantly. Courtesy of Bryan Stevenson In China, 55 crimes carry the death penalty, from murder, treason and armed rebellion to bribery and smuggling. 60 Minutes traveled there to find out what it feels like to face certain death. Stevenson: Banning the death penalty would "liberate us", Why Stevenson says we need to stop competing to be crowned "toughest on crime". After getting the go-ahead, Ding Yu had to move quickly since condemned prisoners are often executed days after sentencing. "I had never come close to a gay man, so I really couldn't accept some of his practices, words and deeds. "I want everybody to move on, that's it," he said. The Daily Mail notes that sometimes interviews were recorded just minutes before a prisoner's execution, and that many confessed crimes and begged for forgiveness as their time on Earth ran out. Many of us do not believe in capital punishment, because thus society takes from a man what society cannot give. . As a part of the reality show, journalist Ding Yu would interview a person on death row every week in almost cruel detail. Extreme Record Collecting: Confessions of an analog vinyl snob, A long, rambling blog post about my Nico obsession (+ some astonishing, seldom seen TV performances). In China, citizens can be executed for any one 55 offenses, including endagering public security and economic crimes such as embezzlement, but Interviews Before Execution focuses almost entirely on brutal murder cases. It should come as no surprise that the program stirred up controversy, particularly in the Western world. The show, which ran from 2006 to 2012, was hosted by Ding Yu. This allowed the design and execution of a series of action plans that resulted in the benefit and total change of the organization. Please enter valid email address to continue. The BBC notes that homosexuality is still considered a taboo in China. That series of episodes drew some of the programs highest ratings. That is good for society.,