Supreme Court Halt Texas Execution

[kskiska]

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court halted the execution Wednesday of a condemned inmate who was part of a lawsuit that challenged one of the drugs used to carry out the death sentence.

Kevin Lee Zimmerman won his reprieve about 20 minutes before he could have been put to death for a fatal stabbing and robbery at a Beaumont motel in 1987.

In a brief order, Justice Antonin Scalia stopped the punishment pending an additional order from him or the court.

``I'm disappointed,'' Zimmerman told a Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman, Michelle Lyons. ``I was ready to go. The stay only means 18 more months of this crap.''

(snip)

Citing the constitutional protection against cruel and unusual punishment, the lawsuit sought to stop use of pancuronium bromide - a drug that paralyzes muscles.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3490052,00.html

[farmboxer]

1. Bush Will Be Very Upset!

Hell, if Bush had his way, he would have all inmates tortured slowly to death! Why? Because Bush is such a good Christian!

[TexasMexican]

2. this is asinine...

first they rule that you cant execute people who are retarded, now everyone on death row who doesnt want to die is pretending to be a retard so they can get out of it.

now they are going to stop this executiong because despite the fact that lethal injection is the must peaceful way to execute someone, someone still thinks its "cruel and unusual."

Also just because this pisses me off I'm going to bring in the race card. If these fuckers werent white thier cases would have been thrown out. These fuckers commited thier crimes and they should be punished just like everyone else who commits the same crimes.

Is the death penalty racist, to a degree yes. Is the answer to fixing it to eliminate it, fuck no. The answer is to execute more white fucking criminals.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

3. No, we've been TOLD that "lethal injection is...

...the most peaceful way to execute someone". The fact of the matter is that the drug in question paralyzes all muscles, including those that allow one to scream or make other noises that might upset the witnesses to the execution.

One or more of the other drugs have been proven to be quite painful if used without the paralyzing drug.

Hanging, electrocution, and the gas chamber have all been replaced by lethal injection because it was believed to be a more humane way to kill someone. Oops, guess not.

Oh, by the way...how positive are you that any prisoners on death row around the country are guilty as charged? More than 100 have been found innocent so far by use of DNA testing.

[MaineDem]

5. FIrst of all, many find "retard" offensive

But I'm hoping your post was sarcasm and I just missed it.

[Malva Zebrina]

6. Too bad they are going to "stop executing"

Damn - all those fun tail gate parties will be no more. No more happy "revenge" celebrations -- stupid Supreme Court said no executing retarded people--damn--who do thy think they are? -- now our murder statistics will go up too, since the deterrant of the death penalty won't work anymore. :nopity:

[moof]

4. Showing that killing is wrong by ... killing.

You can not show people that killing people is wrong by killing people.