They are then escorted into the gas chamber, often under heavy security, and secured to a chair with restraints around their wrists, ankles, waist, and chest to prevent movement. A stethoscope or other monitoring device is typically attached to their chest, extending outside the chamber so a physician can listen for the cessation of heartbeat or breathing, which signals death. Once the convict is secured, the chamber is sealed shut, creating an airtight environment. The execution team, located in a separate control room, activates the mechanism to initiate the gas. In the classic cyanide gas method, a container of sulfuric acid is placed beneath the chair, and a lever is pulled or a switch flipped to drop cyanide pellets or crystals into the acid. This chemical reaction produces hydrogen cyanide gas, a colorless, odorless, and highly toxic substance that interferes with the body’s ability to use oxygen, binding to hemoglobin and preventing it from carrying oxygen to tissues and organs.

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