A guided tour of Virginia's famous pen conducted by 2 guards in 1991. I shot, directed and edited with funding from Ethyl Corp. which took over the land.
I believe they're wrong about the chair being constructed by inmates. Almost every prison says that but it usually isn't true, it's something that gets handed down. The chair (electrical equipment, chair and all), was actually designed and constructed by a New Jersey man named Carl Adams. Adams built the electric chairs for New Jersey, Virginia and South Carolina. The chairs themselves were built by a company called the Trenton Pattern Works, back in the early 1900s. There was a little controversy when Adams installed the chair in VA, back in 1908, because he got a third of the balance up-front, another third when he delivered the equipment, he got $500 for installing and was supposed to get the remaining balance upon completion of the first execution. However, the state of VA didn't execute anyone for a few months, which left Adams in a bind, as he was a small businessman who went out of pocket for the items needed. The total cost of the electric chair in 1908 was $3,800.
When I was a child when ever they used the electric chair! Our lights would cut off! Richmond would lie and say that wasn’t causing it but it did! It basically traumatized me because I would know what was happening! I didn’t know that the people did something wrong! I thought they were frying them for nothing!
At 42:25. He talkin bout why they raised the fence to the too of each tier… Oh the inmates throw.. Blah, they like to break our windows… damn criminals… how bout the fence is also there to save the life of some1 who aint built for that shit. Someones melon splittin apart from 4th teir Is BAD
Did y'all here wut the man said at 47:12...? Said a inmate wud be sitting on the ceiling and walking up the wall..and they designed a cell so any future inmates couldn't do it...?????? How in the hell...????????
Not at all, those are people that made those harsh choices and have to face the consequences. It’s not like they fried people with just minor felonies these were hard cold killers that have absolutely no remorse for those they’ve taken the lives from so why should we feel remorse for the way they were taken out of this world , do you think they felt as much pain as all of the people they’ve killed and the families that had to deal with that? Nope not even close to be honest the only reason that chair shouldn’t have been a thing is so these people can continually live in torcher for the rest of they’re lives for the hell they’ve put on others that are innocent
@@RETIREDAMATUER I never said anything about the color or race of whom was getting electrocuted dumbs ass where you read that apart at? My comment clearly just say PEOPLE stupid learn how to read and comprehend stupid woke idiot lmao.
I find it hysterical how these days inmates complain about how they're treated and how bad prison is, it's prison, it's supposed to suck! Back when this prison was in use, I'm sure it was much worse. Prison is a deterrent just as much it is a punishment, if it was nice and fun, what would be the point?
Lot more privileges back then, but a lot more violence...if would've preferred the more violence and privileges of back then then the shit they have today
I don’t have no respect for ah black man that works in any typa law enforcement or fought in any war after the civil war, and in 50/50 on that. The way America had and has treated us i don’t think i could stand and fight with no pilgrims. And I’m not an racist person. But em pilgrims have treated the human race in general so messed up over the years its a shame. So any black man or woman that teams up with em in any capacity to oppress why you’re the lowest of em all and your ancestors are flip’n over in their graves. (MY PERSONAL OPINION)
wow, the band room@ frames 23:15-18 still had my guitar scale charts (chart number 1 was missing) still hanging on the walls. I place them there during '84
@Bryon Stephens Hey,driving by that dark ,sad place,we could feel it. My son was in several prisons from Va to OR and he sent me the link to this video. Think he remembers the place on Belvidere as a kid because we'd always silently say a little prayer I'm sorry you ever had to set a foot in such a place.
Tallk about the parties.The women the club we called it club Spring Street.And all the fake money that was leaving out the PENN.Anything you wanted you can get in Spring Street.We partied every month and alot of baby's was made in there.The C O was doing the same as inmates.if the price was write and it always was.
The guy who tried to fly over the wall was my celly his name was Jew babe from Norfolk Va. He thought me how to jog.This man run all day from morning til night.Thats a true story he still locked up 40 yrs.I come in as a young boy he thought me how to respect men and never be or accept disrespect.
I left him on Buckingham.He said he tried flying now he going to run if he ever get another chance.😁He was a real good guy.I hope and pray he made it home the right way.
There's a few things you'll not hear spoken about concerning this prison. Back when it was closed down archeologists went in digging around. One thing they found was that part of the prison was built right over top of a prison grave yard. Remains were found but no plaques to identify them were found. Another thing they don't tell you is when they closed Spring Street down they took the electric chair to the new (At that time) prison Greenville and fried 7 people the first 6 months of it being there. FYI. These 2 idiots down play the whole prison experience. They make it sound like a sunday school class compared to what it really was. I've known many who were there. All say it was a hell hole where guards did whatever they felt like doing to whatever prisoner!
I would think that anyone watching this would already assume that pulling time here was no walk in the park. This video was made from a historical perceptive. I'm sure both of these fellows could tell some harrowing stories about life inside here.
A fact that’s always misrepresented is: VA’s chair was 💯 not made by inmates....the chair, head/leg electrodes, and associated hardware, were built by the Carl Adams Electric Co in Trenton, NJ in 1909...The Adams Co. also built South Carolina’s chair.....
Was over this old guys house one day and he was talkin bout his 5 winder chevy truck.. And my ex asked the same question lol. But je calmly explained u see that clear thing right there thats a winder lmfao
Sara Allison when is the last time you were in a man's prison where people are doing 125 years mad and horny as fuck? The way I saw dudes weren't really getting beaten and raped but dudes that were weak or scared would get turned out. Fucking sad.
If I had to do time, i'd much rather do it in a place like this than a modern,sterile corporate run prison. Sounds like they allowed plenty of privileges . Dead head Inmates, those who didn't work or go to school were allowed to wander their section, play chess,cards,checkers, etc. Television, wash your clothes in buckets....Sounds odd to imagine these small things as important , but I can imagine it made their time pass quicker . These old buildings actually have some character too them...the windows alone would be a treat ...just being able to see outside would make the time less dreary . I've never been in prison so I'm simply looking at it logically ...I've been in a modern prison to visit , half hour and the place was creeping me out. Ah...the good old days...even the jails were far superior !
You need to find some stories of people who was incarcerated here. It was absolute Hell. Gang rapes, stabbings, murder and people going over the tiers every day. Ex cons say it was the worst of the worst place to go, period.
Lmao oh yeah and lack of fucking cameras and Idk about you but I didn't see a single shread of netting for those 5 tiers, long fall. Oh yeah and those older prisons are falling the fuckkkkkkkkkkkk apart and guess what you can make from all of that rusted out worn metal? 🗡
Inmates were allowed to do more back then. As far as rec like boxing, lifting weights, and some other sports. Smoking was allowed. But there is no way you would rather be at that place than a modern prison. That was a violent place. And no cameras or human rights to hear your complaints.
I really enjoyed the video. The prison was obviously outdated by many of today's standards but if you had to do a serious amount of time there you did not have air conditioning or proper heat, the food was not fit for human consumption and lots of violence behind those foreboding walls that they didn't show you.Again I loved the tour but I wish the black gentleman would have spoken louder, I could barely hear him.
Thank you for posting this. It was very considerate of the Ethyl corporation to produce a narrated video tour of the penitentiary before it was demolished.
