Is execution by lethal injection ' cruel and unusual ' punishment?

texas*princess · #1 12-11-2003, 10:13 PM

Disclaimer: This thread is not meant to become a battle of what is right or wrong. I just thought it was an interesting topic and thought it would be interesting to have a calm discussion about the issue. Thank you!

Court Stops second Texas execution

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) -- For the second time in as many days, the same lawsuit spared a condemned Texas inmate from the death chamber.

The U.S. Supreme Court halted the execution Wednesday of Kevin Lee Zimmerman, who was part of a lawsuit that challenged one of the drugs used to carry out the death penalty.

Eighteen hours earlier, the lawsuit had allowed Billy Frank Vickers to avoid the death chamber Tuesday.

Rejection of the lawsuit Wednesday by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals cleared the way for Zimmerman's execution -- until the Supreme Court order was issued.

Zimmerman's reprieve came about 20 minutes before he could have been put to death for a fatal stabbing and robbery at a Beaumont motel in 1987.

In a brief order, Justice Antonin Scalia stopped the punishment pending an additional order from him or the court. The lawsuit was filed on Zimmerman's behalf, despite his opposition.

"I'm disappointed," Zimmerman told Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Michelle Lyons. "I was ready to go. The stay only means 18 more months of this crap."

Citing the constitutional protection against cruel and unusual punishment, the lawsuit sought to stop use of pancuronium bromide -- a drug that paralyzes muscles.

Texas, the first state to execute condemned inmates by injection, uses a combination of three drugs: pancuronium bromide, the barbiturate sodium thiopental and potassium chloride, which causes cardiac arrest.

Vickers' execution was postponed when the 5th Circuit failed to rule by midnight, and the death warrant expired. After the appeals court rejected the case Wednesday, it was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The lawsuit was patterned after a Tennessee death row inmate's suit, now on appeal, that cites an American Veterinary Medical Association condemnation of the drug.

Zimmerman's execution was the last scheduled for this year, when 24 inmates were executed. The total is the highest in the nation and about average for the most active death penalty state.

PhiPsiRuss · #2 12-11-2003, 10:14 PM

Not if its for a convicted spammer.

AlphaSigOU · #3 12-11-2003, 10:16 PM

I guess a bullet in the back of the head would be considered 'cruel and unusual' as well...

Love_Spell_6 · #4 12-11-2003, 10:27 PM

I don't like the death penalty,..regardless of how it is administered....if we caught Osama...I'd like to cut his eyelids off and feed him sleeping pills....

or something along those lines...

Death is an easy way out and it makes criminals a hero sometimes...I say put them in labor camps...make them clean up dog poo...something... just not death...

James · #5 12-11-2003, 10:28 PM

Pretty fast though. And mercifully unexpected.

Quote:

Originally posted by AlphaSigOU
I guess a bullet in the back of the head would be considered 'cruel and unusual' as well...

kafromTN · #6 12-11-2003, 10:29 PM

I say go back to public hangings....you can always reuse the rope and it is much cheaper. We need to save money any way we can.

-Mark

kappaloo · #7 12-11-2003, 10:37 PM

I tend to sway back and forth between my own instrinsic belief that capital punishment is wrong, and my other belief that capital punishment is the 'easy way out'.

It's time for some good ol prison reform. Get these people to work and pay for their own imprisonment.

ETA: I know some prisoners work...

kappaloo · #8 12-11-2003, 10:37 PM

Once again, I'm a doofus. (ie ignore this)

bethany1982 · #9 12-11-2003, 10:50 PM

I'm not a huge fan of the death penalty, but if it is going to be used, I don't think lethal injection is cruel and unusual.

AchtungBaby80 · #10 12-11-2003, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Love_Spell_6
I say put them in labor camps...make them clean up dog poo...something... just not death...

Oh, yes.

I was told that execution by lethal injection isn't the peaceful way to go that you'd think it is...is that true? I always thought it was kind of like putting a dog to sleep, that you don't really feel anything, but apparently it's kinda gruesome.

James · #11 12-11-2003, 10:57 PM

Well the dogs can't really comment can they lol?

Injection is less cruel of an idea to the owner.

DeltaSigStan · #12 12-11-2003, 10:59 PM

I'm not AGAINST the death penalty, I'd just rather lock a guy up with a bunch of dudes who've pumping iron, giving each other tatoos, and wetting their lips for years preparing for him.

It'll warm people up before they end up downstairs.......

The1calledTKE · #13 12-12-2003, 12:26 AM

If they murdered they should die or suffer in jail for life without parole.

Cluey · #14 12-12-2003, 12:36 AM

The way I understood it, death by lethal injection was different than putting your pet down. Maybe some of our resident vets can share with us?

I thought that vets put the dog or cat to sleep before they inject them and the pet just drifts away.

As I understand the death penalty, the prisoner is still awake. They inject them several different times, but never to be put to sleep. I believe they paralyze them, then inject something to stop respiration. I thought that they were wide awake, saw everything that was going on, but unable to stop anything from happening.

I wish I could remember what show I saw this on...

texas*princess · #15 12-12-2003, 01:40 AM

Cluey,
I'm not sure if lethal injection has a set 'standard' way of doing it, but in Texas they use a combination of 3 drugs.

From the article:

Quote:

Citing the constitutional protection against cruel and unusual punishment, the lawsuit sought to stop use of pancuronium bromide -- a drug that paralyzes muscles.

Texas, the first state to execute condemned inmates by injection, uses a combination of three drugs: pancuronium bromide, the barbiturate sodium thiopental and potassium chloride, which causes cardiac arrest.

I wish the news report or the CNN article went into further detail (i.e. if it is one injection or two or three and what exactly they are going through during the process to make it clearer if it is cruel or unusal

-- before reading the article, I saw the story on the news and one of the advocates who is for stopping the lawsuit (sorry I can't remember the guys name

) basically said "They aren't being euthenized (sp?), they are being executed for their crimes."