Botched execution in the US

Mickie said:
He died, that's the main thing..
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Well it's not really. Letting us assume that we want the bloke to die (which many do) then either you want to do it ethically, cheaply, quietly or really nastily as a deterrent. Now it certainly wasn't ethical, it wasn't cheap, is certain wasn't quiet and the could have used rats.
 
Castiel said:
The death penalty isn't about justice, it's about retribution and I do not agree that retribution should be underpinning any objective and fair justice system...it simply isn't necessary to kill someone, they can be effectively removed from society and doing more harm in other ways without the need to kill them. Even in cases of indisputable guilt and lack of remorse doesn't mean that the lack thereof is permanent or that society should have the ability to take the life of someone simply as revenge against someone who took the life of someone else. Death should only be advocated when all other avenues and solutions are exhausted and even then we should think twice.
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I suppose the only time you could advocate execution would be in some kind of hostage situation, but would it be execution. Taking a bad life to save a good life so to speak, would it still be execution or can it be only called execution as a result of something a person had been convicted of.

Efour said:
i would watch that movie
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I would not, it would have screwed up my life. It would have been probably an exhilarating relief at the time but on reflection I would not have wanted to look back and see myself doing something so barbaric.

I think what some are missing here is the point that a death sentence is a deterrent to reasonable people. These kinds of people are not reasonable, they either have mental issues that cause extreme acts for no apparent reason or they are just so predisposed to violence no punishment could ever dissuade them. Even a normally passive person could be pushed by reason of circumstance to kill, this again is a situation where any deterrent would not work because in a crime of passion or the heat of the moment punishment will only be remembered after the act. When feelings are running so high all logic and reason is forgotten.
 
jh30uk said:
Get rid of all that circus BS and just kill them after trial not 10-30 years later.

Cannot read 2nd part, sorry.
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And murder more innocent people?


Perhaps an even simpler, safer and cheaper solution is just to forget executing people and let criminals rot in jail. Far cheaper, less likely to make terminal mistakes, security is cheaper and appeals process is easier and cheaper.
 
Xordium said:
It was a poor choice of drugs to be honest. I really don't know why they chose midazolam and the vecuronium in the doses they do - there is no logic behind it. They clearly didn't get it right because it is quite obvious that the only real effect was coming from the potassium chloride. It is disgusting what they do in the first place but really disgusting they way they did it. It is hardly difficult to kill someone painlessly with drugs. US doctors fail again because they have a greater allegiance to the state than the people in their care.
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because they cannot be seen as sending the patient out on a high.

honest thats the genuine reason they give.
 
Tefal said:
because they cannot be seen as sending the patient out on a high.

honest thats the genuine reason they give.
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Yep, that reason has been given and then they give midazolam which hardly has an unpleasant effect especially when given in the dose range they give it in.
 
Freefaller said:
I think it's really rather macabre and a shame looking at the cost of someone's life in terms of their execution :/

Remember you still have to have the witnesses to see this barbaric act - it's something they have to live with for the rest of their lives. Seeing someone die in front of you is not a pleasant experience - I doubt that whether or not they were a good or bad person makes it any different.
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Not sure if anyone's mentioned it but the BBC had a very thought provoking series called 'Life and Death row' where many of these conflicting opinions were looked at, it may still be on Iplayer.

The first episode had a very thought provoking case where the victim wanted to forgive the perpetrator, but in the end he still only could think of himself it seemed. I felt so sorry for her as you could see she really wanted to let it go, the execution was an end but not to her burden:(

Certainly made me think and it very much chimes with your opinions Freefaller, which I agree with. To me it's not black and white, but it seems we're in the minority.
 
PanMaster said:
Why don't they just go back to firing squads?
It can't get any more painless than a few shots to the brainstem.
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I wonder this, it could even be computer controlled (not like on Robocop "PUT DOWN THE WEAPON!"). It's a pretty mechanical way to die so should give the satisfaction factor and is cheap, quick and fun to watch!
 
Nitrogen would be the best way to be honest. Guaranteed, easy to obtain, painless, cheap and you don't need a load of people as you would need to with a firing squad who may then suffer profound trauma themselves.
 
Xordium said:
Nitrogen would be the best way to be honest. Guaranteed, easy to obtain, painless, cheap and you don't need a load of people as you would need to with a firing squad who may then suffer profound trauma themselves.
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What about carbon monoxide? Ticks all the boxes and leaves them with a nice rosy glow as well.
 
Castiel said:
It's not. Its state mandated retribution. Fair and objective Justice is always balanced with mercy, there is no mercy in retribution, only revenge.

As far as what prisons are like, I don't know about here in the UK, but in the US they are certainly not holiday camps...not by a long way.
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As the other chap said, how we treat our criminals reflects on us, not them.

If society (aka the state) determines that a person should be killed, it should be quick, painless and totally dispassionate.

Botched and painful executions are impossible to defend, unless you are something of a psycho yourself ;)
 
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