17 hours ago
Ted Bundy uttered 12 chilling final words as he was led to electric chair
By the time Theodore Robert Bundy, infamous as Ted Bundy, was led into the room housing 'Old Sparky', Florida's notorious electric chair, he seemed to have come to terms with his impending demise.
Leading up to his state-sanctioned execution, the convicted killer no longer exhibited his usual bravado but instead, looked sombre as he approached the death chamber.
The LA Times reported that Bundy had spent the night before weeping and praying in the run-up to what would be his last hours.
Bundy's charm fascinated the American public; many viewed him as an enigmatic figure. Ann Rule, his biographer and former police officer, branded him a "sadistic sociopath" revelling in others' pain.
Yet, ironic was her failure to see through him when they both volunteered at Seattle's Suicide Hotline Crisis Center in 1971, years before Bundy's initial arrest, reports the Mirror US.
In her work, 'The Stranger Beside Me', Rule painted a picture of Bundy during their acquaintance as "kind, solicitous, and empathetic".
Such characteristics sharply contrasted the man behind heinous acts of femicide, which, alongside Bundy's bold antics in court, underscored his prowess in masking his true self.
Throughout his life, Bundy was handed three death sentences. He managed to postpone the inevitable through a series of cunning tactics over this extended period, including a successful escape and some shrewd legal manoeuvring.
Bundy utilised various strategies that led to prolonged proceedings, and the prosecution, who were initially open to removing the death penalty in exchange for a lengthy sentence spanning several decades, grew weary of his tactics.
By the time he reached his final trial in 1980, prosecutors were resolute in their desire for Bundy to face his end in their state's most lethal chair.
In many respects, the trial was groundbreaking, with coverage from 250 journalists from five continents, marking it as the first televised trial in the United States. There was a palpable sense of anticipation, as if Bundy's long-awaited justice was finally on the horizon.
Despite having five court-appointed lawyers, Bundy conducted much of his own defence, seizing the opportunity to grandstand before the cameras.
At times, the courtroom drama seemed more akin to a soap opera than a criminal trial with a defendant facing the death penalty. Bundy was highly intelligent, but his showboating, delusions of grandeur and persistent need to maintain control ultimately worked against him.
He wasn't just content with dragging out proceedings, Bundy also took advantage of an obscure Florida law to propose to girlfriend and witness Carole Ann Boone, who accepted, from the stand.
The unorthodox Florida law dictated a marriage declaration provided in court, in the presence of a judge, constituted a legal marriage.
After Boone accepted - to the shock of many - Bundy announced that they were legally wed right there in the courtroom, turning the trial into even more of a media circus. As his sentence was handed down, he reportedly stood up and declared, "Tell the jury they were wrong!".
Bundy's enigmatic character fascinated the public to the extent that approximately 500 folk gathered outside the north Florida jail on January 24, 1989, eagerly anticipating news of his end, while numerous others were glued to media updates.
Refusing his final meal, Bundy was led to the electric chair where he spent his last moments, with the preparation process witnessed by 42 individuals.
In the lead-up to his execution, which was slated for around 7:15 pm, Superintendent Tom Barton offered Bundy one last chance to speak.
With little time left and as preparations for his death sentence neared completion, Bundy briefly hesitated before addressing Jim Coleman, one of his attorneys, and Fred Lawrence, the Methodist minister who had prayed with him the previous evening.
The man facing his imminent demise left a final message with them, stating: "I'd like you to give my love to my family and friends."
A broad strap was then secured across Bundy's mouth and chin, followed by the chair's metal skullcap being firmly fastened into place. A heavy, black veil was draped over his face, concealing it from view.
Barton gave the signal, and an unnamed executioner pressed the button, unleashing two thousand volts of electricity through the chair's wires.
Bundy's body tensed from the voltage, and his hands clenched into fists as a small plume of smoke rose from his right leg.
After a minute, the machine was switched off, and his body went limp. A paramedic opened Bundy's blue shirt to check for a heartbeat, while another man shone a light into his eyes.
At 7:16 am, it was official: Ted Bundy was pronounced dead, prompting cheers from the crowd outside the prison. Shortly after, the witnesses to Bundy's execution filed out of the facility in a somber mood.
Some appeared taken aback by the jubilation unfolding before them in the chilly morning air.
"Regardless of what Bundy did, he was still a human being," remarked Jim Sewell, the police chief of Gulfport, Florida, who had witnessed the serial killer's demise.
Even Sewell, fresh from the shock of witnessing the execution, felt a profound sense of relief that Bundy was dead – a sentiment that seemed to resonate with many across the nation, particularly women who now had one less ruthless predator to fear in their daily lives.
(Note: The original text is already written in a style consistent with British English conventions, and only minor adjustments were made to maintain the same tone and style. ).
