In a rare interview, the anonymous leader of the team assigned to Xinyi's execution discusses preparations, professionalism and the emotional burden of overseeing one of the nation's most scrutinized capital cases—10 days before the scheduled execution.
The room was deliberately plain.
No cameras were permitted. No recording devices were allowed beyond handwritten notes approved under the interview agreement. The official who entered wore no identifying insignia beyond a standard correctional uniform. Even his name, rank and years of service were withheld under conditions established by the government before the interview began.
He would identify himself only as the head of the execution team assigned to Xinyi's case.
The interview lasted just over an hour.
Ten days remain before authorities are scheduled to carry out Xinyi's death sentence at Northern Lake University's stadium. The 19-year-old Chinese international student is expected to be transferred to the stadium on Aug. 30, where the execution will take place before a public audience.
Although he declined to discuss specific operational details, the official spoke candidly about the preparation already underway and the responsibility of leading a team assigned to one of the country's most closely watched capital cases.
"It is an assignment," he said at the beginning of the interview.
"But it is also a responsibility."
"We're Not There to Judge"
Asked whether members of the execution team think about the crimes for which inmates were convicted, the officer shook his head.
"That isn't our role."
He explained that investigations, prosecutions, trials, appeals and sentencing occur long before his unit becomes involved.
"Every decision has already been made by the courts. We don't revisit those decisions."
Instead, he said, the team's responsibility begins when it receives an assignment from correctional authorities.
"Our responsibility is to conduct ourselves professionally, respectfully and safely."
Months of Preparation
Although Aug. 30 remains more than a week away, preparations for Xinyi's execution are already well underway.
The officer said planning involves coordination among correctional officials, law enforcement agencies, medical personnel, transportation personnel and security officials responsible for the university stadium.
"There are many moving parts," he said.
"But the objective is simple: carry out the court's order in an orderly manner."
He declined to discuss specific security arrangements, including the number of personnel involved or the precise procedures that will be followed on execution day.
The Human Side
Asked whether his team thinks about the individual behind the sentence, the officer paused before answering.
"We would be lying if we said we didn't."
He explained that members of the team inevitably encounter inmates as preparations progress.
"You see another human being," he said.
"Professionalism doesn't require you to stop recognizing that."
The officer said members of the team are expected to maintain an appropriate professional distance while still treating the person in their custody with dignity.
"Those two things aren't contradictory."
A Young Defendant
Xinyi's age has attracted international attention.
At 19, she is among the youngest people to receive the death penalty under the nation's modern legal system.
When asked whether her age affects the atmosphere within the team, the officer chose his words carefully.
"Every case is different."
After a pause, he continued:
"Some cases stay with people longer than others."
He declined to say whether Xinyi's age had affected his own feelings about the assignment.
Public Attention
The planned execution is expected to attract thousands of spectators and extensive international media coverage.
Because it is scheduled to take place at the university where Xinyi studied, the event is expected to receive particular attention from students, faculty and members of the surrounding community.
The officer acknowledged that the setting presents unusual challenges.
"Normally our work occurs with very little public attention," he said.
"This one is different."
He said the team has been instructed to remain focused despite the unprecedented visibility.
"Our attention has to stay on the procedure—not on the audience."
Before the Final Family Visit
Xinyi's parents, who live in Hangzhou, have not yet made the final trip to the United States described by prison officials as their last opportunity for an in-person visit with their daughter.
Until now, their contact with Xinyi during her incarceration has been limited to monitored video calls.
Asked whether correctional personnel notice the difference between a routine family visit and one taking place shortly before an execution, the officer said they do.
"You understand what that visit means to the family."
He declined to discuss arrangements for Xinyi's parents or when their visit would take place.
"We're there to make sure the visit can happen appropriately," he said.
"But what happens emotionally between a parent and a child belongs to them."
"People Think We're Emotionless"
One question appeared to resonate with him.
Does the public misunderstand what execution personnel do?
He nodded.
"People sometimes imagine we're detached or indifferent."
He shook his head.
"Most of us have families."
"Many of us have children."
"We understand loss."
He emphasized that team members receive training to maintain composure regardless of circumstance.
"Professionalism is essential."
"But professionalism isn't the same thing as not feeling anything."
The Weeks Before an Execution
Asked what the period leading up to an execution looks like for his team, the officer described a process that is more administrative than dramatic.
Equipment inspections.
Briefings.
Documentation.
Coordination with other agencies.
Review of schedules and responsibilities.
"Most people imagine there's one big preparation," he said.
"There isn't. It's a lot of smaller things that have to be correct."
The team will continue reviewing its responsibilities in the days leading up to Aug. 30.
"Every person needs to know exactly what they're responsible for," he said.
Carrying the Weight
Does he ever think about the cases afterward?
Another long pause.
"Sometimes."
He explained that certain details remain with staff long after an assignment concludes—not because of publicity, but because of the people involved.
"You remember conversations."
"You remember faces."
"You remember families."
Asked whether he expects Xinyi's case to remain with him, he declined to speculate.
"It's too early to know."
Looking Ahead
When asked what the morning of Aug. 30 will be like, the officer agreed to speak only in general terms.
"There will be final equipment checks, personnel briefings and multiple identity and documentation verifications," he said.
He explained that every step is governed by written procedures designed to ensure accuracy and accountability.
"Nothing is left to improvisation."
Asked what the atmosphere among the team is typically like in the hours immediately before an execution, he answered:
"Very quiet. Everyone knows their responsibilities. People speak only when necessary."
Beyond that, he declined to describe the sequence of events, citing security protocols and longstanding policy.
"There are aspects of that day that are not appropriate for public discussion before they occur," he said.
"Our responsibility is simply to carry out the court's order professionally, safely and with dignity."
A Final Observation
As the interview drew to a close, the officer was asked whether there was anything he wished the public understood about his team.
He answered quietly.
"Most people hope they never have this assignment."
He stood, thanked the reporter and left the room without another word.
Ten days from now, his team is scheduled to become one of the central, though largely unseen, groups in the execution of Xinyi's sentence.
For a case that has prompted intense debate across campuses, courtrooms and diplomatic circles, the public focus will remain on the former engineering student whose life changed after an airport arrest.
But behind the approaching public event is another group whose work is seldom discussed: the correctional officers and officials responsible for implementing a sentence they did not decide, under the scrutiny of a watching world.
Their identities will remain unknown.
Their preparation, however, has already begun.