Killer names 'worst thing' about Death Row and the terrifying sound at night

Daily Mirror

08-05-2025

Double killer Charles Thompson spoke to broadcaster Dan Walker for a documentary about capital punishment and he opened up about the 'worst thing' about death row
A double killer who has been waiting for his execution for 25 years revealed the worst thing about being on Death Row.
Charles Thompson was convicted of a double homicide in 1998 after shooting ex-girlfriend Dennise Hayslip, 39, and her new boyfriend, Darren Cain, 30. He called it a 'crime of passion', claiming he was "immature" and struggling with alcohol and drug abuse at the time. In 2005, he managed to briefly escape prison, but was soon returned to solitary confinement, where he has spent most of the 21st century.
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But he was allowed out of his cell to speak to news anchor Dan Walker for a Channel 5 documentary called Dead Man Walking: Dan Walker on Death Row. Former BBC Breakfast host Dan asked Thompson whether he thought about his death, saying he hoped the question wasn't 'too morbid'.
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Giving his response, the killer said: 'Oh, it is the most unnatural thing to know you are fixing to die and watch the clock tick down. It is not natural. You are not supposed to know your time.
'The execution nightmare, the execution dream, is probably the worst thing. You wake up with a cold sweat and you are like… that was just too real.
'I had watched friends be executed, close friends, and I have heard guys crying at night.' He also complained about only being allowed out of his cell for up to four hours per week, saying 'people have pets that get out of their cages more than that'.
As for daily life behind bars, he added: 'We are held to solitary confinement as you probably know. So my day starts usually around six, seven in the morning.
'We just got TVs a year ago. For 24 years, I didn't have any TV to look at. I have been reading books for 24 years like a book worm.' Laughing, he added: 'I am very well read.'
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Killing his former girlfriend meant her son, Wade, who was just 13 at the time, had to navigate the rest of his life without a mother. Opening up on the documentary, he said: 'I can remember being pulled out of class by my vice principle and pulling into our youth counsellor's office and them explaining what had happened.
'And I remember going to the hospital and waiting that night and ultimately seeing her on the bed… so that was a different experience.'
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It was put to Wade that his mum's killer called it a 'scuffle', and he replied: 'The evidence suggests that he kicked in the door that morning and there were a total of seven shots fired.
'So much so that he had to reload and then the gun jammed and could not be fired again. One shot was put to her cheek and then blasted to the other side of her jaw bone. He said that he knew she had been hit because he could see her teeth flying out of her mouth… so that is point blank rage.'
Wade then explained how there was a time in his life when he would have a recurring dream about Thompson shooting him. And giving his own take on the day of the killing, Thompson told the camera: 'It was the worst day of my life.
'I regret it. I wish I could take it back. When this case happened 27 years ago, I was 27, almost 28, I was an alcoholic, I was strung out on cocaine, using hard drugs. I was still very immature for 27. I had a lot of anger issues and I was wild; I was out of control.'
Thompson remains on Death Row and is still waiting for his execution date.