A new Michigan Law Review article by Professor John Blume of Cornell Law School examines the relationship between ​“volunteering” for execution and suicide. Blume found that nearly 88% of all death row inmates who have ​“volunteered” for execution have struggled with mental illness and/​or substance abuse. He writes that there is an especially strong link between ​“volunteerism” and mental illness. Of the ​“volunteer” executions he reviewed, 14 involved schizophrenia and several more reported delusions that may reflect schizophrenia. Depression and bipolar disorder accounted for at least 23 other cases, and post-traumatic stress disorder was present in another 10. At least 30 of those who ​“volunteered” for execution had previously attempted suicide. The article also notes that between 1977 and 2003, 85% of the 93 inmates who opted to allow their execution to proceed without exhausting all legal appeals were white males, despite the fact that white males make up only 45% of all death row inmates.

(J. Blume, ​“Killing the Willing: ​‘Volunteers,’ Suicide and Competency,” 103 Michigan Law Review 939 (2005)). See Mental Illness, Time on Death Row and Law Review Articles.

Citation Guide