That's the headline from the front page of a Brit tabloid - where they don't have the death penalty. This whole this is a clusterfuck of global dimension. Christa Pike remains in a critical condition and is receiving life-saving hospital care after surviving a “deeply disturbing” botched execution. Donald Trump hit out at the failed double lethal injection attempt as he said it “should be easy to do” before weighing in on what could happen to the death row killer, 50, next.
It's certainly not the hospital's job to do anything but try to keep her alive - so that they can try to kill her again. That doesn't make sense to people like me and you, but it is what it is. Maybe a judge somewhere could just order from the bench that they unplug all the shit that's keeping her alive. How the fuck did they not give her enough pentobarbitol (commonly known by the brand name Nembutal) to kill her? Inquiring minds want to know. I don't...
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Re: the botched execution; and in no particular order. The really good meds that "we" used to use for executions came from overseas. Now those European dolts are sensitive to "killing" folks. So, they stopped "allowing" us to have the good stuff. So, the USA prison system has to use "less effective" medicines. Another conspiracy theory; the "executioner" was sympathetic to the murderess and purposely botched the IV. (yeah, no, what a long shot on that one eh?). Those are the two most prominent ones that I've heard. Are there others?
ReplyDeleteYou mean like in "The Green Mile" where Percival deliberately failed to wet the sponge that went between the electrode and the scalp?
DeleteShould have been executed 30 years ago. Horrible killer, tried again in prison. Insisted on an all-woman guard and execution staff (which she got, along with other special considerations). Three possible scenarios: simply incompetent IV placement (hello, DEI), so drug into tissue, not blood, and never hit lethal level; intentional bad placement to generate outrage; possibly simply not enough drug (the lethal amount of pentobarbital is minimally 2-10g) either due to inadequate amount given (perhaps tampering/dilution) or to the timing of both doses (barbiturates are very fat soluble, which creates a fast compartment that reduces blood levels over a fairly short time). Given that she complained of what sounded like a misplaced IV, the first option seems most likely.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, a complete screw-up in Tennessee. Multiple people should be fired. While the lady deserves less than no sympathy, this is unacceptable performance. There's a good chance that she'll be brain-damaged, if she survives, and a long-term obligation of the state. The state protocol should never have stopped at 2 doses; once started, finish the job.
In passing, all the speculation about degraded drug is nonsense. Like any small cyclic amide the molecule is stable for decades as a solid, and years in solution (yes, some will degrade: not much).
One other point: true, many medical professionals have reservations about assisting with executions, and the distinction between execution and assisted dying is real. However. Placing an IV in a peripheral vein is a trivial skill; millions learn it routinely (phlebotomists need 24 hours or so of hands-on instruction for certification; it's a 6 to 10 week course). Yes, prisoners can and do intentionally wreck their veins. That does make access harder. But why do we not have at least a dozen trained guards with appropriate skill? Most phlebotomists beat the average doc or nurse by miles in terms of getting a line in. And pretty much anybody can tell if a prisoner is fogging a mirror (or just wait, they get cold eventually). There is no need for a nurse or physician to be involved.
Absolutely appalling on every level.
1. I don't believe in "painless" execution by pentobarbitol - or any other chemical for that matter. 2. I don't believe in execution by firing squad - there have been misses. 3. I don't believe in execution by hanging - sometimes the person is strangled rather than the neck broken. 4. I don't believe in execution by electric chair - it may take more than several attempts. 5. I don't believe in life in prison; you want to support them on your dime that's fine - not on mine though. 6. I believe they should bring back the guillotine; do the executions on a Sunday after church on the lawn in front of the Town Hall. Betcha the number of murders (the only crime IMHO for which execution by the state should be mandated) will drop immediately.
ReplyDeleteThey use a vet; they put a dog down quickly and the mutt just lays down, just like going to sleep. Maybe that's why they call it putting them to sleep. Leave it to the gubment to mess up the process.
ReplyDeleteSet her loose. They tried and she did not die. Should be get out of jail card. Then we can take care of it when she is in the wild. Just make it look like an accident.
ReplyDeleteThe state of Tennessee has called Hillary Clinton and offered her the job.
ReplyDeleteShe's on life support so just pull the plug. That or send her to New York or Canada since they delight in killing people. Or maybe even Planned Parenthood since they're so good at causing death.
ReplyDelete"And that's what I like about the South!" Exactly what I would expect from collective Tennesseans charged with completing a task.
ReplyDeleteStrap her down, strap an aviator-type mask on her face, pump in pure Nitrogen. She will go anoxic in seconds and be dead in 3-5 minutes.
ReplyDeleteAs a veterinarian with over 40 years' experience - 30+ of it as a pathologist at a diagnostic lab, requiring that my 'patient' be dead- I have euthanized hundreds, if not thousands, of animals. I'm always amazed at the incompetence of these folks being unable to end these creatures' lives with a simple IV injection of what is essentially an overdose of an anaesthetic drug.
ReplyDeleteWhy not get the Canadians to do the job? They seem to be pretty good at it. Maybe one of the blasted Snowbirds coming down here has the right skill set and the tools. He could make some extra cash with the side hustle. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we can include something in the Canadian trade deal to handle this as they seem to be very efficient at doing the job.
ReplyDelete