A former Death Row correctional officer says his time inside a Tennessee prison changed the way he viewed people – and that some of what he witnessed still stays with him decades later.
David Beechy spent 14 months working as a correctional officer at a Tennessee prison that housed Death Row inmates. At first, he viewed the job as just that: a job. But the environment quickly proved to be unlike anything he had experienced before.
Speaking to Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, Beechy described working around Death Row inmates as “a crazy adrenaline rush that never happened because you’re always on guard, you’re always watching,” according to VT.
Worked as a death row guard
Beechy said many of the inmates generally behaved themselves.
“A lot of guys had been there 15, 20, 30 years – that’s a lot of time to get that young vinegar out of your system and realize you’re there for the long haul,” he said.
Since inmates’ attorneys could potentially challenge their treatment in court, officers were held to a high standard.
“You had to behave well as a CO because their lawyers were looking for a reason to sue you. You were held at a very high standard,” Beechy explained.
“I’ve thought a lot more about death row people since I’ve not worked there”
According to Beechy, the prison captain also tried to make sure the officers assigned to the unit were not the type to deliberately provoke inmates.
“He would try to choose guys who he knew weren’t coming in to pick a fight every other day,” he said.
But spending time around the prisoners eventually changed Beechy’s own perspective.
“I’ve thought a lot more about death row people since I’ve not worked there,” he said.
One inmate in particular made him think about how little separated the men from each other in terms of age.
“Man, there’s not that much difference between you and me,” he recalled thinking.
Witnessed an execution
That realization also led Beechy to consider how much a person can change.
“Some of those guys that have been on Death Row for 20 years are not the same person,” he said.
“They’re no longer that kid chopped up on drugs going around killing people for 60 bucks to get their next hit.”
