Execution fails over inmate's unsuitable veins

[snopes]

Executioners couldn't find a suitable vein in which to inject drugs to kill a 53-year-old murderer, who then got a one-week reprieve from the governor so Ohio prison officials can figure out what to do.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_ohio_reprieve

[purpleiguana]

They try the carotid? Nice big 'un there. And if they goofed up the needle and he bled out very, very, very, very slowly.......

Purple--no sympathy for rapist-murderers--Iguana

[lord_feldon]

I know a very easy way to get solve this issue. (And, to be fair, it should be given to the 167 other prisoners on death row. I felt this way before this happened, though.) The governor could do it right now if he wanted, because Ohio has given its governor the right to do whatever he wants in this area (hint: it rhymes with zommutation). There are two pretty big issues with that, though:

• I don't think he wants to.
• I think, in addition to not being morally incensed by the death penalty, he wants to, you know, be re-elected next year (I wonder if he'd have a hard time even getting nominated), which will be hard enough without the "executions should be cruel and unusual" crowd putting out ridiculous ads.*

I doubt this will end in a way I find acceptable, though. (ETA: "The way I find acceptable" would probably be better.)

*I can see it now. An unflattering picture of Governor Strickland. Ominous music starts. "Did you know Ted Strickland used to be a prison psychologist? Now he's decided that these murderers** should be able to live off of your hard-earned money. I guess he cares more about their feelings than yours."

**Cue picture of scary black men who want to rape and kill innocent white girls.***

***This is a comment on the state of political discourse here****, not on every person who supports the death penalty.

****In 2006, Ken Blackwell***** seriously had an ad on his site that was a milk carton with Ted Strickland on it. He was "missing from Church" or something like that.

*****I really don't like him.******

******I do, however, like footnotes.*******

*******Like this one.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by lord_feldon

****In 2006, Ken Blackwell***** seriously had an ad on his site that was a milk carton with Ted Strickland on it. He was "missing from Church" or something like that.

*****I really don't like him.******

******I do, however, like footnotes.*******

*******Like this one.

Don't like Blackwell, or Strickland?

[snopes]

A lethal-injection team tried for about two hours to find a usable vein, then gave up. Romell Broom, a convicted rapist-murderer, says another try would be unconstitutional.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,3631123.story

[lord_feldon]

Originally Posted by Lainie

Don't like Blackwell, or Strickland?

Blackwell, of course.

[zman977]

Now if they'd just bring back beheading they would not have to worry about finding a vien.

Seriously though, If this "man" has to suffer a little, so be it. I have no sympathy for a rapist/murderers.

[ASL]

Originally Posted by lord_feldon

The governor could do it right now if he wanted, because Ohio has given its governor the right to do whatever he wants in this area (hint: it rhymes with zommutation).

I think eating him so he turns into the body of Christ would be considered cruel and unusual... Highly unusual.

[BringTheNoise]

Originally Posted by purpleiguana

They try the carotid? Nice big 'un there. And if they goofed up the needle and he bled out very, very, very, very slowly.......

Purple--no sympathy for rapist-murderers--Iguana

The cartoid is an artery, not a vein.

[lord_feldon]

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs...107/909230373/

A federal judge on Tuesday further delayed an unprecedented second attempt to put a condemned rapist and killer to death by lethal injection.

U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Frost's order, which pushes a hearing on the fate of inmate Romell Broom from next week to Nov. 30, was unopposed by the state.

[Casey]

There are so many veins bigger than the standard antecubital vein they'd use, though. I'm confused why they wouldn't try subclavian or femoral- both are big, and would require just a little longer needle. If you want surface, what about the dorsal vein of the foot? It's incredibly easy to hit.

[purpleiguana]

Originally Posted by BringTheNoise

The cartoid is an artery, not a vein.

Yeah... *dreamy smile*


Honestly, tho, if you're going to have a method of execution that requires a syringe, isn't it possible that someone might realize that not everyone has easy-access blood vessels? Wouldn't it make sense to have a backup method?

[lord_feldon]

http://dispatch.com/live/content/loc...e.html?sid=101

A federal appeals court decision this morning blocking Thursday's execution of Summit County killer Lawrence Reynolds Jr.raised serious questions about Ohio's lethal injection process.

In a 2-1 ruling, a 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel said Reynolds' execution should not proceed before a federal court considers problems with the botched execution of Romell Broom on Sept. 15. Broom's hearing is Nov. 30.

[lord_feldon]

http://dispatch.com/live/content/loc...w.html?sid=101

Gov. Ted Strickland has temporarily postponed two executions to give prison officials "more time for a review of the lethal injection protocol in Ohio."

Strickland this afternoon granted a reprieve to Lawrence Reynolds of Akron until March 9, 2010. He also pushed the scheduled Nov. 10 execution of Darryl Durr of Cleveland until April 20 next year.

[lord_feldon]

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/articl...TES01/91006012

Ohio is considering administering lethal drugs into inmates' bone marrow or muscles as an alternative to -- or a backup for -- the traditional intravenous execution procedure, a prisons department spokeswoman said Tuesday.

"Everything is on the table" as the state researches ways to adjust its death chamber procedure in the wake of a failed execution last month, when officials couldn't locate suitable veins on inmate Romell Broom, said Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman Julie Walburn.

[lord_feldon]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/us/14ohio.html

Breaking ranks with the 35 other states that use lethal injections to execute prisoners, Ohio became the first state to say it would switch to a single drug, rather than a three-drug cocktail, in its death penalty procedure.

[lord_feldon]

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...y-ohio-102709/

Ohio was on track this year to execute a record number of inmates. One botched execution and several lawsuits later, the death penalty is temporarily on hold.

The latest challenge: The state can't find medical professionals willing to advise it on the best way to put condemned inmates to death because of ethical and professional rules.

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by zman977

Seriously though, If this "man" has to suffer a little, so be it. I have no sympathy for a rapist/murderers.

Not to defend Reynolds, but for his credit, at least he did everything to cooperate in trying to remedy the problem.

Originally Posted by Another execution try delayed two months

During the execution attempt, he even tried to help the executioners secure his death. He turned over on his left side, slid rubber tubing designed to clarify his veins up his left arm, then began moving the arm up and down while flexing and closing and opening his fingers. The execution team was able to access a vein, but it collapsed when technicians tried to insert saline fluid.

Still, I don't understand why they are waiting until March 2010 to retry. There ought to be an alternative method available. Shouldn't have to wait on some review of protocol.