Pătrășcanu was kept in detention until 1954, when he was executed on 17 April with Koffler in Jilava, near Bucharest, after a show trial overseen by Iosif Chișinevschi. It is possible that he was tortured throughout the questioning conducted on direct orders from the Securitate's Alexandru Drăghici, and he had one leg amputated for unknown reasons before his trial. The execution took place in the courtyard of Jilava Prison; according to the recollections of Ion Mihai Pacepa in his book, "Cartea neagră a Securității", Pătrășcanu was shot in the back of the head by a Securitate colonel.