On Death Row is a television mini-series written and directed by Werner Herzog about capital punishment in the United States.

[2] Each episode of the series focuses on a specific murder case and those convicted of the crimes, each of whom was on death row during filming.

The cases profiled are:[1] One of the originally planned episodes of the series was expanded to feature length and released theatrically as Into the Abyss in November 2011.

In an introduction to the broadcast of the first episode, it was stated that Herzog only was allowed two sessions of one hour each with his first subject, James Barnes.

The series showed at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale Special) on February 29, 2012 (2012-02-29), a month before its television premiere.

As a German, coming from a different historical background and being a guest in the United States, I respectfully disagree with the practice of capital punishment.Since the series was produced in 2012 some regulations have changed.

Each episode also features brief interviews with other people related to the cases, including prosecutors, defense lawyers, and family members.

Barnes confessed to the murders of Chester Wetmore and Brenda Fletcher, both of which were unsolved cases at the time of filming.

Herzog was wary of being used as a tool to delay Barnes' execution, but the episode includes a detailed filmed confession of these two additional murders.

The episode ends Herzog and Burden's thoughts on capital punishment, and Barnes' description of things he wishes he had.

Linda Carty is one of only 9 women on death row in Texas, convicted of murdering 25 year Joana Rodrigues and stealing her 4 day old child.

Carty enlisted three local drug dealers to break into the victim's apartment, telling them that there was a stash of marijuana inside.

Carty then tells Herzog that she had been recruited as an informant by the DEA, and was gathering intelligence on local drug dealers, who framed her for these crimes.

Herzog next interviews Michael Goldberg of Baker Botts LLP, Carty's Appellate Counsel, who is trying to arrange a retrial.

Herzog then explores the crimes for which Skinner was convicted, interviewing David Bowser, a local news reporter who covered the case.

Bowser tells how Skinner had a fight with his girlfriend Twila Busby at her home, after which she and her two adult sons were found dead.

Herzog asks if the people of Pampa Texas, where the crimes were committed, would feel good and celebrate when Skinner was executed.

Skinner had recently won a major victory from the U.S. Supreme Court, ruling that he had the right to sue the district attorney to produce evidence which was not presented at his trial.

Skinner describes his victory, peppered with superstitious "significant portents", drawing connections to the persecution of the Templars, and the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Herzog shows scenes from the drive, and describes them: "the landscape bleak and forlorn, and yet everything out there all of a sudden looked magnificent, as if entering the holy land.