Constance Debré Examines U.S. Death Penalty Protocols in New Book 'Protocoles'
Constance Debré, author of the new book 'Protocoles' and recipient of the Prix Flaubert 2026, has delved into the intricacies of the American death penalty system. For nearly two years, Debré meticulously read, translated, and transcribed the official protocols governing legal executions in the United States. Her work focuses on the precise, minute-by-minute procedures, from the condemned's last meal to the medical examiner's declaration of death. The book dissects various execution methods—electric chair, firing squad, hanging, gas chamber, and lethal injection—exploring their physical effects on the body. Debré's approach is clinical and factual, deliberately avoiding the specifics of the crimes committed by the condemned. Instead, she scrutinizes how a state, under the rule of law, organizes, regulates, and carries out the death of an individual, highlighting the inherent flaws and barbarity despite the precise protocols. The narrative also weaves in a personal road trip across the U.S., connecting her ... 
