Supreme court won't decide lethal injection issue

Reuters ^ | May 22, 2006 | James Vicini

[LurkedLongEnough]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Monday declined to decide whether a drug combination used to execute convicted murderers violated the U.S. Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

The justices refused to hear the appeal by a Tennessee death row inmate who said one of the drugs may inflict inhumane pain and that 30 states, including his, have banned using it for the euthanasia of animals.

The high court at the end of April heard arguments in a similar case from Florida on whether death row inmates can bring a last-minute challenge to the lethal injection method under a federal civil rights law.

The court rejected the Tennessee appeal without any comment. A decision is expected by the end of June.

All but one of the U.S. states with the death penalty and the federal government use lethal injection for executions. Nebraska alone requires electrocution.

The standard method involves administering three separate drugs: sodium pentothal, an anesthetic, which makes the inmate unconscious; pancuronium bromide, which paralyzes all muscles except the heart; and then potassium chloride, which stops the heart, causing death.

[dirtboy]

Hey, the FDA says drugs have to be safe and effective, and I figure that, for scum, one out of two should be good enough.

[mtbopfuyn]

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

[taxcontrol]

Nitrogen asphyxiation - requires only a tank of nitrogen, regulator, hose and breathing mask. Prisoner simply goes to sleep. No toxic chemicals, no blood spills, no fuss no mess.

Clean up is a body bag, disposable mask and playtex gloves.

[frogjerk]

Nitrogen asphyxiation - requires only a tank of nitrogen, regulator, hose and breathing mask. Prisoner simply goes to sleep. No toxic chemicals, no blood spills, no fuss no mess. Clean up is a body bag, disposable mask and playtex gloves.

MR CLEAN: "Sounds like the back label of my product...I like it!"

[zarf]

A long chain with handcuffs on one end, a jeep and a gravel road.

[taxcontrol]

VERY messy clean up, possible HIV bio hazard, etc etc.

[RdhseRat]

Painful? Give me a break!

Were they concerned about their victims pain?

Wonder what they would think of being executed in the same manner as their victim?

[taxesareforever]

Liquid nitrogen and then a tap tap tap with a hammer and all the pieces fall into place.

[KingofZion]

excellent suggestion!

i always find it entertaining when the media reports quote the anti-death crowd about cruel and unusual punishment. of course, they never mention how the victims died - which inevitably was in a cruel manner.

frankly these guys are lucky to survive the gallows for 20 years at taxpayer expense. on the streets, they would probably be dead already.