Roll on two

Roll on two is the command that triggers the final, lethal electrical current through the electric chair at Cold Mountain Penitentiary, the moment when the condemned prisoner is put to death. It is the culmination of a carefully rehearsed ritual, the point at which the state's sentence is carried out and the prisoner's life ends. The phrase is part of a two-stage process: "Roll on one" powers up the prison generator, and "Roll on two" delivers the fatal shock. The command is given by the execution team leader, usually Brutus Howell or Paul Edgecombe, to Jack Van Hay in the switch room, who then pulls the switch labeled "MABEL'S HAIR DRIER."

Procedure and Meaning

The execution procedure at Cold Mountain Penitentiary involved a two-step electrical process. First, the command "Roll on one" was given, which caused the prison generator behind B Block to hum to life, brightening the lights throughout the prison and signaling to the other cellblocks that the execution was underway. Then, after the condemned prisoner had been strapped into the chair, the cap and wet sponge placed on his head, and the final words spoken, the command "Roll on two" was issued. This sent the full direct current through the prisoner's body, causing a powerful forward surge as the electricity passed through his brain and body. The doctor would then listen with a stethoscope to confirm death, and if necessary, a second or third jolt would be ordered.

Key Occurrences

The command "Roll on two" was used in the executions of Arlen Bitterbuck, Eduard Delacroix, and John Coffey. During Bitterbuck's execution, the procedure went smoothly: after the command, the prisoner surged forward, and the doctor pronounced him dead after a second jolt. During Delacroix's execution, however, the command was given by Percy Wetmore, who had deliberately used a dry sponge. The result was a horrific, prolonged death as the prisoner's head caught fire and he screamed in agony, a direct consequence of the command being executed under sabotaged conditions. During John Coffey's execution, the command was given by Paul Edgecombe himself, as Brutus Howell was unable to speak. The execution was quick, though the prisoner's eyes showed terror and awareness until the end.

Consequences and Significance

The command "Roll on two" represents the irreversible point of no return in the execution ritual. Its significance is underscored by the contrast between the smooth, almost clinical execution of Bitterbuck and the catastrophic, botched execution of Delacroix, where the same command produced a nightmare of suffering. The phrase embodies the power and finality of the state's authority over life and death, and the moral weight carried by those who must give or execute the order. For Paul Edgecombe, giving the command for John Coffey—a man he believed to be innocent—was an act of profound moral conflict, marking the end of his career on the Green Mile and his final participation in the killing machine he had served for so long.