What is Life Like for a Death Row Inmate in Texas?

When someone is sentenced to death row in the State of Texas, they can expect to wait anywhere between one and 31 years for their execution. That is, unless their case is appealed within that time.

Average Stats from Texas Death Row

According to Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the average time spent on death row prior to execution is about 11.22 years. The shortest time spent--252 days--was by Joe Gonzales out of Potter County in 1996.

David Lee Powell served the longest amount of time on death row in Texas history at just over 31 and a half years.

The average age for execution in Texas? 39 years old. The youngest person put to death was just 24, and the oldest was Carl Wayne Buntion from Harris County in 2022. He was 78 years old.

Where are Death Row Inmates Held?

Typically, death row inmates are isolated from other prisoners and are given separate numbers specific to their sentence. They may also be excluded from employment programs and educational opportunities.

The Death Penalty Information Center also stated that some inmates on death row spend up to 23 hours a day alone in their cells. The information center also poses the question as to whether those on death row serve two punishments: execution AND years of solitary confinement.

What are Texas Capital Offenses?

The TDCJ includes a full list of crimes that can result in the death sentence. Here are a couple of highlighted ones:

• Murder of a child under 10 or under 15 years old
• Murder during an attempted prison escape
• Murder while already in prison for a conviction of murder
• Murder of a peace officer who is lawfully carrying out duties

Texas Death Row Quick Facts

From 1819 to 1923, hanging was the typical form of executing criminals. 1924 was the year the electric chair was used for the first time in Texas.

Legal injection, an overdose of the drug Pentobarbital, took over in 1982. It wasn't until 1996 that family and friends were allowed to witness the executions.