U.S. Judge Rules Lethal Injection Not Cruel

[Freddie Stubbs]

By Adam Tanner

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A federal court ruled on Friday that lethal injection does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, clearing the way for the execution next week of a man convicted of hacking four people to death.

Kevin Cooper, 46, is due to be executed on Tuesday for using a hatchet and buck knife to kill two parents, their 10-year-old daughter and her friend in 1983. He says he is innocent. If the execution goes through it will be California's first in just over two years and the 11th since 1976.

"There also appear to be questions concerning the underlying conviction that have been and continue to be the subject of impassioned debate," U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel in San Jose, California wrote in his decision.

"The present case, however, concerns the discrete question of whether Plaintiff has met the legal standing for enjoining California's use of lethal injection as a method of execution," he continued.

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=6&u=/nm/20040206/ts_nm/crime_california_death_dc_3

[TexasMexican]

1. Duh

the leathal injection is far to humane in my opinion.

[raifield]

2. Isn't it really two injections?

One to knock you out, another to stop your heart? That's what I've heard.

And I agree with the judge. If it is what I understand it to be, dying asleep isn't cruel.

[nodehopper]

3. apparently lethal injection is extremely painful

this is just one of the sources pertaining to North Carolina.

http://www.castine.net/lethal%20injection.htm

There were lawsuits to the effect that pacuronium bromide is an extremely painful substance in Ohio and Tennessee, among other states.In Tennessee it is banned for PET euthenasia, yet it is used on people.

Here is an article about it from CBS news:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/07/national/main576918.shtml

I think the New York Times ran a similar feature about this last year as well.

[newyawker99]

6. Hi nodehopper!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[nodehopper]

8. thanks, fellow new yorker!

[Vitruvius]

4. The problem is that the injection to knock you out is very short-lived;

you might well wake up paralyzed by the pancuronium bromide and nobody would know -- because you're paralyzed. The pancuronium bromide is excruciatingly painful, you're slowly suffocating, and the potassium to stop your heart is also excruciating.

[rincons land]

5. far more humane than what they do to their victims

Has any murderer EVER once considered the pain and suffering they are inflicting on their victims while commiting the crime? NO! Do they bother to humanly render their victims unconscious with sodium penathol before committing their murderous acts? NO!

Who cares if a convicted murderer suffers during his/her execution? I surely dont!

[Elidor]

7. Well, the basic idea here is that

Most of us subscribe to the notion that we are better than murderers. But we envy your lack of ambiguity.

[TexasMexican]

14. We are.

IMO we could kill murderers in the most cruel manner possible and it would still be more humane than what they did to thier victims if only because they killed an innocent person and we are killing a murderer.

[Skittles]

11. several innocent people have been released from death row

would you consider THEIR EXECUTIONS humane ????

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[freestatevet]

13. Hmmmm

:-)

[mmm]

15. Many innocent men have been executed on death row.

Death by lethal injection is often painful and always
cruel.

[leesa]

9. 'Course it is if you aren't guilty of the crime.

Americans first answer to everything...kill it.

[lebkuchen]

10. How many countries still administer the death penalty? Five?

The US still executes even juvenile offenders, last I heard. Has that been changed yet?