Thursday 23 January 2014

Not for the faint-hearted

This is a link to a Guardian report of the execution by lethal injection of Dennis McGuire on 16th. January. McGuire had been on death row for 24 years. New drugs are currently beign trialled in the US, and there is much controversy about the possible inhumane nature of these drugs. This report, and the videoed interview, should leave the matter beyond doubt.

My views on the death penalty apart, I cannot comprehend how it can be possible to do this to a human being, when  I have witnessed many patients being anaesthetised in seconds, and a horse  (a larger creature, by any standards) being put down quickly and humanely, with no apparent suffering. This clip also demonstrates the devastating effect of execution on  families.


http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/22/ohio-mcguire-execution-untested-lethal-injection-inhumane

12 comments:

  1. I won't watch it, Frances, but I do agree about the need for a quick death if they must do this at all in a so called civilised society.

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    1. The vide is just an interview wiht the son of the man executed, who had witnessed the execution. It does demonstrate the fact that there is more than one person being punished.

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  2. I don't wish to watch it either. I don't agree with the death penalty but, failing to change the law of the country, the act should be carried out as humanely as possible.

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  3. You are absolutely right about animals. I have witnessed a dog being 'put to sleep', and it all happened in seconds with no convulsions or signs of distress.

    However, I'm not totally against scum like this being deprived of his right to life. He sacrificed that right when he did what he did. And frankly I find the priest's religious tolerance quite disgraceful. Asking some non-existent deity for 'forgiveness', doesn't bring back the poor woman (and the unborn child) that he murdered.

    I won't watch any video of such things (presuming that's what it was).

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    1. I'm afraid I happen to believe in the "non- existent deity", CM! But no matter. The video was an interview with the murderer's son, who witnessed the execution. At least they seem to draw the line at filming the actual execution.

      Another big problem is that many of those murdered are probably innocent (I used to write to one of them). They are usually very poor, and can't afford the best representation. One woman saw her lawyer for just 20 mins before her trial. .

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    2. I think every single prisoner claims to be innocent; from the petty thief to the serial murderer. Very few ever admit their guilt.

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  4. Wow, Adrian! I hit a nerve there! I think you and I would disagree about the punishment, but I still value your cyber friendship very much!

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  5. Not watched that clip, but I've seen animals put to sleep and a documentary which included a clip of someone recieving euthanasia. In those cases death was quick and seemed not to cause distress to the individual who died.

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  6. We take care to humanely put down horses and dogs, even hunters try for a "clean" kill. Let me guess.....must've been Texas. Texas where they'll keep a brain dead woman on a ventilator for TWO mths because she was 3 months pregnant when she died. Thank God a judge finally ordered the fucked-up hospital to pull the plug as the family had insisted from the get-go. The baby was not getting any nourishment. The baby died when the mother died....two months ago.

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    1. Actually, Yvonne, I think for once this was Ohio and not Texas. But these new drug combinations defeat me. Pentobarbitone - used in general anaesthetics - puts you out in seconds, as anyone who's ever had an operation will know. After that, they could presumably use any drug they like to finish the victim off.

      But Texas is still well ahead in the death penalty stakes. Rick Perry has an awful lot to answer for.

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