Death Row inmate overdosed on his medicine. In stable condition, execution set for 16th

[The Straight Story]

Death Row inmate overdosed on his medicine, officials say
Reynolds now scheduled to die on March 16


Condemned killer Lawrence Reynolds overdosed on prescription medication he was authorized to take, prison officials said today.

Reynolds, 43, is in stable condition in St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown after a suicide attempt Sunday night.

Julie Walburn, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, said this morning that Reynolds "acknowledged to staff that he knowingly took the drug in question." He was found unconscious in his cell at 11:30 p.m. Sunday.

Walburn declined to identify the drug, citing medical confidentiality regulations.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/03/09/death-row-inmate-overdosed-on-prescription-medication.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101

[Alexander]

1. What's the point of putting a death row inmate in the hospital after a suicide attempt?

"You're going to die for your heinous crime, but you have to die on our terms, not yours."

FWIW, I am 100% opposed to the death penalty.

[malaise]

10. +1 n/t

[jobycom]

2. Wow. This story would be a gold mine for a cultural anthropologist.

We save someone so we can kill them, we protect their medical confidentiality despite taking away everything else. We won't allow him the dignity of deciding his own time of death so we can execute him when we see fit. We are motivated by revenge and hatred but still can't see letting someone die if we can save them, we take away most rights from the condemned but still hold some rights so sacred that we honor them when they can't possibly mean anything...

Not even judging. Just analyzing. We are a fascinating people. :rofl:

And I don't know what to say. Glad you're okay, now die filthy dog? :shrug:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. It's a strange, exotic, complex ritual called "due process."

Few people can understand it.

[jobycom]

4. Oh, we can understand it.

But it's still full of paradoxes.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. That's not all it's full of.

[Deep13]

6. The prison officials on the radio says that the law leaves them no choice.

They are required to provide medical care for all inmates. And they have a legal duty to comply with the death warrant.

[mitchum]

7. I'm surprised that he didn't attempt to strangle and beat himself...

that seems to be his preferred method of death

"Mr. Reynolds, 43, was found guilty of the January 1994 murder and attempted rape of Loretta Foster, 67, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The police found Ms. Foster in her home, strangled and beaten, after three men reported that Mr. Reynolds had confessed to the crime while playing pool at a bowling alley the night of the killing"

[sharp_stick]

9. It's not easy to beat yourself to death

but I'm sure he could have found more than one willing helper if he was able to get into the general population for an hour.

[prolesunited]

12. And killing him changes what?

[mitchum]

13. I dunno...ask Reynolds; in fact,he would probably appreciate a penpal

[prolesunited]

14. Excellent use of logic

I guess it would be more absurd if you asked me if I wanted to marry him. :eyes: However, you didn't answer the question.

There is a *vast* space between wanting the state to kill someone and befriending them.

What he did was despicable and he should remain in prison for the rest of his life. But how does the state killing him make us any better than him? Again, what does it resolve or change?

[mitchum]

16. Thanks!

That was rather mordantly clever, wasn't it?
I have not tried to kill Reynolds, but he has attempted to do so. Thus, I suggested that you ask him "what good it will do?" Or you could ask the state; it and Mr Reynolds seem to be in agreement...

Unlike you, I stated no opinion on the ethics or morality of the law. And frankly, I don't owe you one.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

15. Better use expediated postage...

or it'll be an awefully short conversation.

[sharp_stick]

8. Florida or Louisiana (can't recall which) once

treated a man very aggressively for a terminal cancer in the hopes that they could keep him breathing long enough to put him into the electric chair.

I can't find the cite for it now but I remember the uproar when they spent a small fortune treating the guy just to extend him out for a few more months.

He died about 4 weeks before his last warrant came up. I bet that pissed off the keepers looking for their overtime.

[blueamy66]

11. I may be naive,

but how does a DR inmate get his hands on enough script meds to OD?

[MrSlayer]

17. Ah, trying to cheat the hangman.

The last way to beat the man. You're better off ripping open your arteries than trying to overdose.

[DearAbby]

18. I have no healthcare because of Pre existing conditions

they spent all this money to revive a person they plan on killing legally in a week...:grr:

I am against the death penalty, but this is seriously fucked up.