2 hours to die after lethal injection drugs given.

[Wisconsin Beth]

ccording to the AP, Wood “was put to death in an apparently flawed procedure that took too long to conclude. An hour into the execution, his lawyers [filed] an emergency [Supreme Court] appeal, saying he'd been ‘gasping’ and ‘snorting’ for an hour… Word that Justice Anthony Kennedy denied the appeal came about a half hour after Wood's death.” The AP reporter on the scene witnessed Wood gasp more than 600 times before he died from a procedure that experts say should have taken 10 minutes.

www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/07/23/botched_lethal_injection_of_joseph_wood_takes_two_hours.html

This is the guy who appealed to the US Supreme Court to about info on the drugs to be used, the training of the staff injecting him etc. Guess he was correct to worry about it. 

I'm not opposed to the death penalty per se but damn, something's got to give here.  As a usually moral person, I don't want lethal injections to go like this.  I don't care what the criminal did to his/her victims, I/we need to be better/more humane/something than the people being put to death. 

[Wisconsin Beth]

Mods, if this needs to be moved, go ahead. 

[zibazinski]

Sorry, it takes so long and it's so hard to even get deserving criminals the death penalty. If they suffer, I truly don't care. I enjoy reading the stories of executions gone wrong because it gives a little payback to what they did to the person they killed and their families.

[Shooby]

Bring back the firing squad. Cheap and effective.

[Shooby]

BTW, how long did his victim suffer?

[Green Eyed Lady]

I'm with you, Beth.   Makes me sick.  I don't know anymore how I feel about the death penalty.  I'm on the fence - which is totally not like me.  But this made me sick.  We sit in judgment all the time regarding punishments in other countries.  Wasn't there some huge uproar several years ago about an American sentenced to caning in another country?  Yet we allow this to happen here? 

[zibazinski]

No uproar by me. He was a nasty punk who tried to do his filth in another country that doesn't say NAUGHTY NAUGHTY to punks. He got what he deserved and no different than a resident of that country would have gotten.

[jkapp]

Jul 24, 2014 9:17:16 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Bring back the firing squad. Cheap and effective.

I agree...the reason we are using these flawed poison concoctions in the first place is because we were trying to find a "more humane way to kill someone" (which is a bit of an oxymoron)

[Tennesseer]

Jul 24, 2014 9:17:16 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Bring back the firing squad. Cheap and effective.

-faint-The world must be coming to an end.  I agree with Shooby.

I reluctantly support the death penalty.  But if it is to be carried out, death should be quick.   Arizona must look into why it took 90 plus minutes for this person to die.

[jkapp]

Jul 24, 2014 9:20:12 GMT -5 Green Eyed Lady said:

I'm with you, Beth.   Makes me sick.  I don't know anymore how I feel about the death penalty.  I'm on the fence - which is totally not like me.  But this made me sick.  We sit in judgment all the time regarding punishments in other countries.  Wasn't there some huge uproar several years ago about an American sentenced to caning in another country?  Yet we allow this to happen here? 

Many people didn't mind the caning - I felt the little punk deserved it.

[Green Eyed Lady]

I reluctantly support the death penalty. But if it is to be carried out, death should be quick. Arizona must look into why it took 90 plus minutes for this person to die.

Well said. 

[zibazinski]

[jkapp]

You could look at it this way: The guy was sedated at the time...so it is no different than when doctors "unplug" a patient to allow them to die, or unhook the feeding tubes.

[zibazinski]

Jul 24, 2014 9:27:24 GMT -5 jkapp said:

Jul 24, 2014 9:20:12 GMT -5 Green Eyed Lady said:

I'm with you, Beth.   Makes me sick.  I don't know anymore how I feel about the death penalty.  I'm on the fence - which is totally not like me.  But this made me sick.  We sit in judgment all the time regarding punishments in other countries.  Wasn't there some huge uproar several years ago about an American sentenced to caning in another country?  Yet we allow this to happen here? 

Many people didn't mind the caning - I felt the little punk deserved it.

   Sorry, people post so fast and I forget to quote.

[Green Eyed Lady]

Jul 24, 2014 9:29:00 GMT -5 jkapp said:

You could look at it this way: The guy was sedated at the time...so it is no different than when doctors "unplug" a patient to allow them to die, or unhook the feeding tubes.

I sure hope you are right, jkapp.  I must admit, I find it difficult to understand people who dont' have a problem with how this went down.  I DETEST criminals and the havoc they wreak on people's lives.  I DETEST their complete disregard for human life/property/etc.  I don't want to be like them.  I will not let someone else's actions turn me into something just like them. 

[chiver78]

Jul 24, 2014 9:12:18 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Mods, if this needs to be moved, go ahead. 

nope, it's fine. your article was posted yesterday, that's pretty current

-chiver mod

[Tennesseer]

Jul 24, 2014 9:32:20 GMT -5 Green Eyed Lady said:

Jul 24, 2014 9:29:00 GMT -5 jkapp said:

You could look at it this way: The guy was sedated at the time...so it is no different than when doctors "unplug" a patient to allow them to die, or unhook the feeding tubes.

I sure hope you are right, jkapp.  I must admit, I find it difficult to understand people who dont' have a problem with how this went down.  I DETEST criminals and the havoc they wreak on people's lives.  I DETEST their complete disregard for human life/property/etc.  I don't want to be like them.  I will not let someone else's actions turn me into something just like them. 

From what I saw on TV (brief interview/sound bite) the family of the two killed were 'glad' it took so long for the killer to die.  I can understand their need for revenge, but I have to wonder if the family is in any way better off (mental health wise) with this killer's extended death than if his death was within a few minutes of injection.

[mmhmm]

Agreed. This is unacceptable. I don't know what's going wrong, but something sure is! I want to follow this to find out what they did, how they did it, and what they used in what order. This simply should not be happening, IMO.

[Tennesseer]

Jul 24, 2014 9:47:26 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Agreed. This is unacceptable. I don't know what's going wrong, but something sure is! I want to follow this to find out what they did, how they did it, and what they used in what order. This simply should not be happening, IMO.

I get a sick feeling that as a society we are no better than the killer when an execution takes too long.  Justice should be swift.

[wvugurl26]

It seems some states are having trouble finding a drug cocktail that is immediately effective. The anesthesia component that was used in the past is sodium thiopental. Only one US company made it and they ceased manufacturing in 2011. The company said they never intended for their product to be used in lethal injections. European manufacturers won't export the drug to the US for the same reason.

It could be the cocktail isn't effective and it could be that his body didn't react in the typical manner. Everyone's body chemistry is unique.

I have a lot of allergies and personally for me many drugs that will absolutely knock another person out including my parents don't have that effect on me.

[Green Eyed Lady]

Jul 24, 2014 9:44:07 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Jul 24, 2014 9:32:20 GMT -5 Green Eyed Lady said:

I sure hope you are right, jkapp.  I must admit, I find it difficult to understand people who dont' have a problem with how this went down.  I DETEST criminals and the havoc they wreak on people's lives.  I DETEST their complete disregard for human life/property/etc.  I don't want to be like them.  I will not let someone else's actions turn me into something just like them. 

From what I saw on TV (brief interview/sound bite) the family of the two killed were 'glad' it took so long for the killer to die.  I can understand their need for revenge, but I have to wonder if the family is in any way better off (mental health wise) with this killer's extended death than if his death was within a few minutes of injection.

Yes.  I am at work and have to abbreviate my posts because I'm supposed to actually be doing something, but those people are who I was referring to in my post.  IIRC, one person said something about feeding him Drano.  I suppose one can't fully understand the mind-set unless they've lost a loved one to violent crime, but I'd like to think I would do better.  Maybe not.  Who knows?

[Green Eyed Lady]

Jul 24, 2014 9:47:26 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Agreed. This is unacceptable. I don't know what's going wrong, but something sure is! I want to follow this to find out what they did, how they did it, and what they used in what order. This simply should not be happening, IMO.

I can't read the article at work, but read it last night late.  Weren't the drugs a mixture of Xanax and a pain killer?  Hell.  My mom takes those and drives.

[Green Eyed Lady]

Jul 24, 2014 9:51:16 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Jul 24, 2014 9:47:26 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Agreed. This is unacceptable. I don't know what's going wrong, but something sure is! I want to follow this to find out what they did, how they did it, and what they used in what order. This simply should not be happening, IMO.

I get a sick feeling that as a society we are no better than the killer when an execution takes too long.  Justice should be swift.

Yep.  And I get a sick feeling, that as a society, we don't care that we are no better.

[wvugurl26]

Midazolam and hydromorphone were the drugs according to CNN. Their article also mentions that while the old combinations were quicker, it was believed many inmates were conscious while they were executed.

[Shooby]

Who says people "don't care"? I think we go to great lengths to protect prisoners in our society.

[zibazinski]

We don't because we are sick of the guilty getting more justice than their victims. Just like the citizens who do the right thing get to pay for those who don't. It gets REAL old. Why do you think people arm themselves. Because they know criminals just roam free and will just get a slap on the wrist if anyone catches them. I celebrate every time a criminal dies because I know there's a lot of people out there that will never be victimized by that criminal again. I'm pissed when the cops take them into custody as opposed to killing them. Now we get to pay for them forever, until they get out to commit more crimes.

[sesfw]

According to the latest news on this Gov Brewer has ordered an investigation. I agree, there is no way this should have taken almost 2 hours to complete.  Unacceptable.

For the most part I don't agree with executions ...... however there are a few exceptions.  Serial child molesters/rapists and serial drug pushers are a couple.

I've often wondered why an overdose of sodium pentothal isn't used.

[wvugurl26]

Jul 24, 2014 10:01:35 GMT -5 sesfw said:

According to the latest news on this Gov Brewer has ordered an investigation. I agree, there is no way this should have taken almost 2 hours to complete.  Unacceptable.

For the most part I don't agree with executions ...... however there are a few exceptions.  Serial child molesters/rapists and serial drug pushers are a couple.

I've often wondered why an overdose of sodium pentothal isn't used.

See one of my previous post above, it can no longer be obtained.

[Shooby]

I believe that sodium pentothal is difficult to get right now. And, a single injection of that is not going to ensure death. It is wears off pretty quickly. You have to give other agents to stop the heart and stop breathing.

[achelois]

I agree with Shooby. What they need to do is include a non-depolarizing muscle relaxant and/or iv potassium. Heck, add some iv antihypertensives or digoxin or give straight neostigmine after versed/fentanyl/propofol. 
 
You dont need pentothal. 

Ask a pharmacist. Ask an anesthesia provider. It isnt really that difficult to kill somebody with a whole lot of different drugs if they use them properly--or, maybe that should be improperly. 

I am not really big on the death penalty but this kind of thing is ridiculous.