Arizona State Prison Complex- Florence

In the beginning, the Arizona State Prison at Florence consisted of two (2) housing wings ("Pocket" and "Weed Row"), a TB Wing and the "Snakes". The "Snakes" was an underground cell area for solitary confinement. It was called "Snakes" due to the fact that snakes would find their way into it. Inmates were transferred from Yuma Territorial prison to Florence in the early 1900s. The new prison was a distinct improvement over Yuma, however, the prison at Florence had a death chamber. In the beginning, the death chamber was located one floor above the cells on death row. The chamber itself was a scaffold and, in the floor, a trap door was constructed through which the bodies of the hanged fell into a room below. As you can see, the Florence Prison has changed since that time. The oldest buildings on-site include the Administration Building (built in 1928) and Cellblock Two (CB-2). Construction began on CB-2 in 1928 and it was completed in 1930. The gates leading into the Central Unit, of which CB-2 is part, were brought to Florence from the Yuma Territorial Prison.

In 1973, there was a riot/hostage situation in ASPC-F Central Unit. Two (2) staff were killed by inmates in Cellblock Three (CB-3). Before and since this time, there have been no incidents of staff fatalities within the secure perimeter of the Florence institutions. The Department continually reviews and enhances security to ensure the safety and security of the staff and inmates of the State of Arizona.

Within Central Unit, there is a tunnel which runs from CB-2 to the Administration Building. This tunnel was sealed in 1985 when it was discovered that inmates had found a way to access the tunnels. In addition, around this same time, the CB-2 tower was replaced. The existing tower was deteriorating and plans were made to utilize it as a control room. However, in 1985, the estimated cost for renovation and a locking system was approximately $4,000,000.00. Needless to say, this project was not initiated.

Usually of great interest to individuals visiting the Florence Prison is the Death House. Death sentences have been carried out in Florence since 1910. The first individual executed by hanging at Florence was Jose Lopez on January 5, 1910. From that time until July 7, 1916, eight (8) more individuals were executed. Effective December 8, 1916, an initiative measure passed which deleted the provision for the death penalty in Arizona. The death penalty was restored in December 5, 1918. Nineteen (19) executions by hanging occurred between April 16, 1920 and June 20, 1931.

The first execution by lethal gas was carried out when two (2) brothers, Manuel and Fred Hernandez, were executed at 5:00 a.m. on July 6, 1934. On March 4, 1962, Manuel E. Silvas was executed by lethal gas at 5:08 a.m. In 1972, the Arizona Supreme Court adopted a policy of reducing death sentences to life. In August 1973, the death penalty again was effective, however, in 1978, a ruling was made that the Arizona Statute regarding executions was unconstitutional and all executions were stayed. In 1979, the Arizona Legislature revised the Arizona Death Penalty Statute and Death Sentences again became effective May 1, 1979. On April 5, 1992 at 12:18 a.m., twenty-nine (29) years after the execution of Manuel Silvas, Donald E. Harding was put to death by lethal gas.

In November 1992, Arizona voters approved execution by lethal injection. By law, any person sentenced to death prior to November 23, 1992 is afforded a choice of execution by either lethal gas or lethal injection. Inmates receiving a death sentence after November 23, 1992 are executed by lethal injection.

Walter B. LaGrand was the last prisoner to be executed by lethal gas on March 3, 1999. Since the implementation of lethal injection, fourteen (14) inmates have been executed utilizing this method. Because we still have inmates who received a death sentence prior to January 1993, the gas chamber is maintained in working order in the event an individual chooses this method of execution.

Additional historical information regarding the Florence Prison is available in the Town of Florence at the local Pinal County Historical Society Museum. Original inmate registration record books dating back to the late 1800's, the first lethal gas chair and ropes utilized in hanging executions are only a small sample of items on exhibit. The Pinal County Historical Society Museum is located at:

715 South Main Street
Florence, Arizona 85232
(520) 868-4382

At this time this page was written, all Death Row inmates, with the exception of two (2) women on Death Row in the Phoenix Perryville facility, are housed at the Eyman Complex in Florence within the Special Management Unit II (SMU II).  Death sentences are carried out at the Arizona State Prison Complex at Florence (ASPC-F).

When an inmate receives a Warrant of Execution, a schedule is developed for submission of related forms and inmate movement. 24 to 48 hours prior to the scheduled execution, the inmate under a Warrant of Execution is transferred to the Death House within Central Unit of ASPC-F.

One (1) pound of sodium-cyanide is placed in a container underneath the gas chamber chair. The chair is made of perforated metal which allows the cyanide gas to pass through and fill the chamber. A bowl below the gas chamber contains sulfuric acid and distilled water. A lever is pulled and the sodium-cyanide falls into the solution, releasing the gas. It takes the prisoner several minutes to die. After the execution, the excess gas is released through an exhaust pipe which extends about 50 feet above Death House.  Lethal Injection

Inmates executed by lethal injection are brought into the injection room a few minutes prior to the appointed time of execution. He/she is then strapped to a Gurney-type bed and two (2) sets of intravenous tubes are inserted - one (1) in each arm. The three (3) drugs utilized include: Sodium Pentothal (a sedative intended to put the inmate to sleep), Pavulon (stops breathing and paralyzes the muscular system) and Potassium Chloride (causes the heart to stop). Death by lethal injection is not painful and the inmate goes to sleep prior to the fatal effects of the Pavulon and Potassium Chloride.