The Call for lethal injection boycott

[Fortunata]

From BBC:

Amnesty International has urged doctors and nurses not to participate in executions by lethal injection as it breaches their ethical oath.

In a report the group says the cocktail of drugs used is not always quick and painless and can cause "excruciating pain and extreme mental suffering".

The execution method is common in the US and is on the rise in China.

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In its new report, "Execution by lethal injection - a quarter century of state poisoning", it says governments should not put doctors and nurses in the position of carrying out an action contrary to their ethical oath.

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It says that Texas, the biggest US user of lethal injections, has banned the same drugs for dogs and cats on the grounds of the potential pain they may suffer.

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Amnesty says lethal injections are on the rise in China, with mobile vans increasingly being used.

Prisoners are executed on a metal bed in a windowless chamber in the back, the group says.

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"We don't have any idea about what's happening in Texas, because it's done in secret."

ETA: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7027305.stm

Do facilities need doctors or nurses to do the injections or even set it up? It would seem that anybody could, with the formula, administer the cocktail?

Back to hanging? What is the more humane way or do those who execute as a penalty want humane?

Edited October 4, 2007 by Fortunata

[maldon_road]

Amnesty International has urged doctors and nurses not to participate in executions by lethal injection as it breaches their ethical oath.

I thought nurses and doctors already boycotted executions?

Edited October 4, 2007 by maldon_road

[M.Dancer]

Back to hanging? What is the more humane way or do those who execute as a penalty want humane?

Hanging, done properly is supposed to be very humane. It breaks the neck and death is instantaneous. The down side is if the calculations are wrong the condemned either strangles slowly or has their head pulled off (which is also instantaneous, but messy). Other drawbacks may be the sudden emptying of the bowels.

Beheading. Again, the choice of kings for kings. Kind of messy and if the executioner (using a sword) is off his game or if the blade is dull.....their is a word for a small knife, I believe miseracordia, used to dleiver a mercy cut if the blow wasn't true. The guilotine, now there's a choice for a new age......

[betsy]

Hanging, done properly is supposed to be very humane. It breaks the neck and death is instantaneous. The down side is if the calculations are wrong the condemned either strangles slowly or has their head pulled off (which is also instantaneous, but messy). Other drawbacks may be the sudden emptying of the bowels.

Beheading. Again, the choice of kings for kings. Kind of messy and if the executioner (using a sword) is off his game or if the blade is dull.....their is a word for a small knife, I believe miseracordia, used to dleiver a mercy cut if the blow wasn't true. The guilotine, now there's a choice for a new age......

A gunshot at the back of the head is also said to be instantaneous and painless.

[geoffrey]

I think abolishing capital punishment as a whole would be far more humane.

[bush_cheney2004]

Do facilities need doctors or nurses to do the injections or even set it up? It would seem that anybody could, with the formula, administer the cocktail?

No...a machine can administer the injection sequence by IV....doctor needs to be on hand to supervise and pronounce the perp dead.

[maldon_road]

I think abolishing capital punishment as a whole would be far more humane.

Lifetime imprisonment with no parole then

[betsy]

I think abolishing capital punishment as a whole would be far more humane.

There was a serial killer called "The Chameleon" who stalked his victims and slowly tortured them....removing parts, bludgeoning and dismembering)...while they were still alive. As he wrote to his last would-be victim (the only one who got away), he want to do it slowly because he want her to feel the pain. This monster spent two nights in her home, without her knowing it (the investigators told her), and the cops told her she has to get out of her place and hide or she'll surely end up dead. She ran to Texas. When the monster finally got caught I think he was on his way to Texas or was already in Texas. He was that determined to get her.

You think a monster such as this would ever be human again?

No...a machine can administer the injection sequence by IV....doctor needs to be on hand to supervise and pronounce the perp dead.

Perhaps, with monsters like the one above ....it's humane to put them out of their misery.

Btw, why don't they just use the method of overdose of cocaine or sleeping pills?

Edited October 6, 2007 by betsy

[Guest American Woman]

In a report the group says the cocktail of drugs used is not always quick and painless and can cause "excruciating pain and extreme mental suffering".

I have to wonder why they don't put the prisoners under anesthesia first, like they do prior to surgery, to ensure they don't feel any pain. Seems to me this would be the most humane thing to do under the circumstances.

Edited October 6, 2007 by American Woman

[AngusThermopyle]

I have to wonder why they don't put the prisoners under anesthesia first, like they do prior to surgery, to ensure they don't feel any pain. Seems to me this would be the most humane thing to do under the circumstances.

Thats a very good point, I've wondered that myself. It would be easy enough, just one more drug prior to the others. I cant remember the amount or sequence they use right now.

I think it's three or four and each one has a specific function. One stops the heart, one brain activity. I cant remember the rest.

Just adding a powerfull anesthetic first seems like a good idea to me.

Edited October 6, 2007 by AngusThermopyle

[bush_cheney2004]

I have to wonder why they don't put the prisoners under anesthesia first, like they do prior to surgery, to ensure they don't feel any pain. Seems to me this would be the most humane thing to do under the circumstances.

They already do...in states and nations that use modern lethal injection technology. Sodium thiopental is often used early in the injection sequence to send the perp to sleepy-land before stopping his/her respiration with lethal drugs.

http://www.richard.clark32.btinternet.co.uk/injection.html

[Higgly]

Execution of convicted criminals is a dumb idea. The legal system is not perfect. Look at Steven Truscott and the many others who have been found innocent in the past 10 years. What are we up to now... 8?

Good grief. How can anybody even entertain the idea of state executions? It's sick.

Edited October 6, 2007 by Higgly

[geoffrey]

You think a monster such as this would ever be human again?

Freaky. People like that wouldn't rehabilitated into normal society. Not possible. But killing them isn't morally justified either.

Do we just shoot all of our addicts and mentally disabled people and some physical disabled people because they won't be able to survive in society peacefully?

[bush_cheney2004]

Do we just shoot all of our addicts and mentally disabled people and some physical disabled people because they won't be able to survive in society peacefully?

If they are a threat to public safety, yes!

[betsy]

Freaky. People like that wouldn't rehabilitated into normal society. Not possible. But killing them isn't morally justified either.

Do we just shoot all of our addicts and mentally disabled people and some physical disabled people because they won't be able to survive in society peacefully?

Mind you, addicts and disabled people are not monsters like that serial killer.

The only thing that's making me re-think capital punishment are the cases of Truscott and others who were wrongfully convicted.

[Guest American Woman]

They already do...in states and nations that use modern lethal injection technology. Sodium thiopental is often used early in the injection sequence to send the perp to sleepy-land before stopping his/her respiration with lethal drugs.

http://www.richard.clark32.btinternet.co.uk/injection.html

Then apparently the problem is with using Sodium thiopental, as it's defined as "the sole anesthetic agent for brief (15 minute) procedures" and death by lethal injection sometimes takes longer than 15 minutes. They should be using a stronger/different anesthisia, same as they do for most surgeries (I have to wonder how many surgeries last only 15 minutes).

Edited October 6, 2007 by American Woman

[bush_cheney2004]

Then apparently the problem is with using Sodium thiopental, as it's defined as "the sole anesthetic agent for brief (15 minute) procedures," since death by lethal injection sometimes takes longer than 15 minutes. They should be using a stronger/different anesthisia, same as they do for most surgeries (I have to wonder how many surgeries last only 15 minutes).

Whatever....the point was that modern lethal injection protocol does involve anesthesia. I volunteer my car and closed garage for a far cheaper and painless experience.

[Guest American Woman]

Whatever....the point was that modern lethal injection protocol does involve anesthesia.

I think the concern is more with results than with "protocol."

[bush_cheney2004]

I think the concern is more with results than with "protocol."

If making people feel better about capital punishment includes a trip to Disneyland...go for it. I happen to like the way that Edward G. Robinson's character voluntarily went in Soylent Green.

[DarkAngel_]

those who deserve 'death' by the justice system, should instead be phiciatriclly studied as to not have it happen again. finding the reasons why may give us clues as to preventing these events all together... not 100% but you get the idea. screw the death sentence lets study them for the rest of there lives!

Edited October 7, 2007 by DarkAngel_