Inside Oklahoma's Death Chamber

From: This Land Press
Series: The Sound of Our Land
Length: 04:48

Kelly Kurt discusses her experience covering executions in Oklahoma during her time as a reporter for the Associated Press. She worked for the wire during one of the busiest times in the Oklahoma death chamber - covering a total of 15 executions. We asked her to step behind death's yellow door one last time to witness the execution of Gary Welch. In this segment, she describes the execution process and reflects on her thoughts about the death penalty. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: Inside Oklahoma's Death Chamber
From: This Land Press

Deathchamber_small Kelly Kurt discusses her experience covering executions in Oklahoma during her time as a reporter for the Associated Press. She worked for the wire during one of the busiest times in the Oklahoma death chamber - covering a total of 15 executions. We asked her to step behind death's yellow door one last time to witness the execution of Gary Welch. In this segment, she describes the execution process and reflects on her thoughts about the death penalty.

Also in the The Sound of Our Land series

A Prayer Life (02:58)
From: This Land Press

Samuel Clifton Folks has lived in Tulsa all his life. Here, he remembers playing little league baseball as a young teenager in the mid-1960s.

Love at the Jamboree (02:51)
From: This Land Press

Three times a week, a tight knit group of senior citizens play old-time country, bluegrass and gospel at the Heavener, Howe and Poteau jamborees in southeastern Oklahoma. A ...

The Perfect Storm (07:11)
From: This Land Press

In this short documentary, folk musician and historian Tom Naples walks us through the dust bowl and tunes us into archival recordings and oral histories of the people who ...

Racing Around the World (03:15)
From: This Land Press

Jack Seehafer spent almost a decade as a professional cyclist before becoming a coach for Team Type 1. Here, Seehafer shares some of the trials and triumphs from his first ...

Growing Up a Poet (02:03)
From: This Land Press

John Brehm's family didn't discuss art or literature or poetry. Searching for his own way in the world, Brehm began writing. Decades later, he is the author of two award ...

The Green Tree Dervish (03:00)
From: This Land Press

For photographer Gaylord Herron, there's "something about trees." He's traveled all over the world photographing different cultures, but he's also found fulfillment in his ...

The Baby in His Lap (04:26)
From: This Land Press

Shantelle Jennings was a child when photographer Larry Clark captured iconic images of her father, Billy Mann, toting guns and shooting drugs for his book, Tulsa. As a result ...

Andrew Gumbel: A Fresh Look at the Oklahoma City Bombing (05:29)
From: This Land Press

Andrew Gumbel, co-author of the book "Oklahoma City: What the Investigation Missed--and Why it Still Matters" (2012, HarperCollins) with Roger Charles, expounds on the ...

Glass not Glitter (02:53)
From: This Land Press

Neighbors of the Murrah Federal building recall the 1995 bombing that altered the life and culture of Oklahoma City. As a precaution to listeners, the following audio ...

Oh, Paperboy (04:14)
From: This Land Press

When Matt O'Meilia was 10 years old, a rock star moved into his neighborhood. And not just any rock star. A hometown boy made good. The rock star was Leon Russell, coming ...