Thirty Minutes Before: WTSP's Live Report on the Procedure for Bobby Joe Long's Execution, 2019

Name: Thirty Minutes Before: WTSP's Live Report on the Procedure for Bobby Joe Long's Execution, 2019
Uploaded: 2019-05-23T00:00:00Z
Duration: 2 min 1 s
Description: About 30 minutes before Bobby Joe Long's scheduled execution on May 23, 2019, WTSP reporter Emerald Morrow, live outside Florida State Prison, explained the steps of Florida's execution protocol and relayed the words of a victim's mother.

About 30 minutes before Bobby Joe Long's scheduled execution on May 23, 2019, WTSP reporter Emerald Morrow, live outside Florida State Prison, explained the steps of Florida's execution protocol and relayed the words of a victim's mother.

Subject: Bobbie Joe Long
Recorded: about May 23, 2019
Runtime: 2:01

Content warning: Describes the procedure for an execution by lethal injection; refers to the murder of Chanel Williams. No graphic detail.

The Report

This is a 2-minute-1-second WTSP 10News (Tampa Bay) live report broadcast about 30 minutes before Bobby Joe Long's scheduled 6 p.m. execution on May 23, 2019, and posted by the station on its own channel that day. After an anchor's introduction, reporter Emerald Morrow, outside Florida State Prison, walks through the steps of the execution procedure and passes on what victims' relatives had told the station. Long is not heard, and neither are the relatives; Morrow relays their words.

Historical Context

In 1984 Bobby Joe Long killed at least ten women in the Tampa Bay area. He was arrested on November 16, 1984. In 1985 he pleaded guilty to eight murders and to the abduction and rape of a 17-year-old, Lisa McVey, who has since told her story publicly; he was sentenced to death for the murder of Michelle Denise Simms. On April 23, 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis signed his death warrant, the first of his term.

Circumstances

The execution was set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 23, 2019, at Florida State Prison. Morrow's report went out as the execution team was due to make its first call to the governor's office. The lethal injection began at about 6:43 p.m., and Long was pronounced dead at 6:55 p.m.; he declined to make a last statement.

What the Report Covers

Morrow describes the protocol in order, as it was scheduled to happen: a call to the governor to confirm there were no last-minute court orders; two executioners escorted to the executioner's room; the warden reading the warrant to Long; wrist restraints and the escort to the execution chamber; the gurney, IV and heart monitors; witnesses, including victims' relatives, secured in the witness gallery; one more call; and the start of the execution. She says the families had waited "more than 30 years," and relays what the mother of Chanel Williams told the station: "I am ready to see the pain on his face, that very same pain that he inflicted onto my daughter."

What Makes the Recording Significant

The report sets out Florida's execution procedure as a reporter explained it live in the final half hour before an execution, and it records the families' state of mind just before it. It is the "before" to the witness accounts given the same night.

Archival Importance

A short procedural live shot of modest value on its own.

Important Caveats

Long is not heard in this video. The steps described are the procedure as Morrow explained it in advance, not an account of what happened; the execution actually began about 6:43 p.m., later than scheduled. The words of Chanel Williams's mother are relayed by Morrow, not heard. FOX 13 named her as Lula Williams; she is not named in this clip. The anchor is addressed only as "Katie"; her surname is not verified and should not be used on the page. The YouTube description's "10 women" is the number of killings attributed to Long; he pleaded guilty to eight.

Anchor: And we continue our coverage of the scheduled execution of serial killer Bobby Joe Long. We are now just 30 minutes away from his scheduled execution, barring any last-minute court orders. 10News reporter Emerald Morrow is live outside the prison where Long will be put to death. Emerald, what is happening at the prison right now? [00:16 to 00:21: pause as the live link is handed over.]

Emerald Morrow: Katie, executions are very, very organized, and there are a lot of procedures that have to be followed exactly by the book. So, as long as everything is on schedule, about 30 minutes out, which would be right about now, what happens is the execution team should be right now making a call to the governor, just to make sure there are no last-minute court orders that will prevent this execution from going forward. After that, two executioners are escorted to the executioner's room, where they will stay until everything is done. And then at that point, the warden will read the execution warrant to Long.

Emerald Morrow: And once that's done, the execution team will put wrist restraints on Long and then escort him to the execution chamber. He'll then be placed on a gurney, where he will have an IV and heart monitors attached. And when all of that is taken care of, witnesses are brought in, and this includes the loved ones of the victims who are still grieving all these years later. They're secured in a witness gallery and the chamber then is closed. One more call is then made, and the execution begins. So, as you can see, this is a very, very organized process.

Emerald Morrow: I talked to some of the victims' family members by phone today, and again, this is such a very tough time, but they've been waiting more than 30 years for this to happen. You've heard from the mother of Chanel Williams throughout this newscast, and, you know, again, she told us, "Hey, I am ready to see this happen. I am ready to see the pain on his face, that very same pain that he inflicted onto my daughter." Back to you.

Anchor: A lot of thoughts and prayers with those families tonight. As the evening unfolds, we will be updating it all in real time. Just head to our website, wtsp.com/execution. [Clip ends at 02:01.] ---