Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr.
| Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. | |
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Theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Errol Morris |
| Produced by | Dorothy Aufiero David Collins Errol Morris Michael Williams |
| Music by | Caleb Sampson |
| Cinematography | Peter Donahue |
| Edited by | Karen Schmeer |
| Distributed by | Lions Gate Films |
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Release date
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Running time
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91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $507,941(US and Canada) |
Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. is a 1999 documentary film by Errol Morris about execution technician Fred A. Leuchter.
Using film made at American prisons, Leuchter talked about his upbringing where his father was a corrections officer. Through his family associations, young Leuchter claimed he was able to witness an execution performed in an electric chair. Leuchter's impression of the event was that the electric chairs used by American prisons were unsafe and often ineffective. The event led him to design modifications to the device that were adopted by many American states.
Leuchter claimed he was invited to other American prisons to inspect and design modifications to their electric chairs. Though not possessing any formal training or education in the matter Leuchter claims he was told that the individuals who did possess formal and accepted qualifications would not provide advice due to their opinions on the death penalty, fear of reprisals or that they were squeamish about the subject.
Leuchter's career continued with other state prisons seeking his advice on execution facilities other than electrocution, such as gas chambers, hanging and lethal injection. Though initially professing his ignorance of other methods of execution, the authorities seeking his advice reminded him that others with more qualifications refused to help. Leuchter claimed to have taught himself on these other methods of execution and provided advice that was used by the authorities to improve safety and efficiency.
His fall began when Leuchter claimed to have been sought as a witness for the defence of Ernst Zündel on trial in Canada for publishing and sending material denying the Holocaust overseas. Leuchter was asked by the defence to travel to Poland to visit Auschwitz to investigate whether there had been operating gas chambers for executions at the camp.
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