A documentary series about the unprecedented number of executions scheduled in Arkansas, USA, of eight men in ten days.

The governor of Arkansas, Asa Hutchinson, has scheduled eight men to be put to death within ten days of each other. The reason for the unprecedented timetable is to use up the state’s supply of a lethal injection drug called midazolam before it expires.

With access to the families of victims, and of those on death row, this series follows the eight cases from both sides, in the weeks, days, hours and minutes leading up to each scheduled execution. From inside the prison walls, we also hear from the inmates themselves as they reflect on their crimes, plead for their lives and get ready to be part of the most condensed spate of death sentences in recent American history.

In this episode we meet Lynn Scott, the sister of death row inmate Jack Jones – the next prisoner in line to die. Jones has severe medical problems including diabetes, which led to him having a leg amputated in prison. Jones and his sister are worried that the number of medications he is on could mean the lethal injection drugs don’t work properly, resulting in an agonising death. However, the family of Jones’ victim, Mary Phillips, say they’ve waited more than 20 years for the execution, and they’re desperate for justice to be done.

We also meet inmate Marcel Williams, who is on death row for the rape and murder of 22-year-old Stacy Rae Errickson. With only weeks to go before Williams’ execution, his attorney, Jason Kearney, is fighting to save his client’s life, arguing that Williams’ original lawyers made serious mistakes during his trial. Kearney says these mistakes meant the jury didn’t hear vital evidence that could still save him from execution. Show less