Lethal Injection Report

[pumpkinpie]

NEW RESOURCE: Amnesty International Issues Lethal Injection Report
A new report released by Amnesty International, Execution by lethal injection - a quarter century of state poisoning, calls on medical professionals to refuse to participate in executions and details ongoing concerns about current lethal injection protocols that could result in inmates feeling excruciating pain during their executions. “Governments are putting doctors and nurses in an impossible position by asking them to do something that goes against their ethical oath. ... Medical professionals are trained to work for patients’ well-being, not to participate in executions ordered by the state. The simplest way of resolving the ethical dilemmas posed by using doctors and nurses to kill is by abolishing the death penalty,” said Jim Welsh, Amnesty International’s Health and Human Rights coordinator.

In addition to providing a thorough review of the lethal injections issue, the report details botched executions that were not performed by trained medical personnel. It also examines the three-drug lethal injection cocktail that includes sodium pentothal (an anesthetic), pancuronium bromide (a paralytic agent), and potassium chloride (stops the heart and causes death). Almost all states use the same 3-drug combination for lethal injections. Medical professionals and organizations have raised concerns that inmates are not fully unconscious when given drugs to stop the heart and lungs, a problem that could result in excruciating pain. The inmate would not be able to indicate pain due to the second drug that paralyses the muscles. Amnesty notes that these same drugs were once used by veterinary surgeons on animals for euthanasia, but now are prohibited for use on cats and dogs because of the potential pain they might cause.

“There is a global consensus within the medical profession that the involvement of health professionals in carrying out an execution, particularly by a method using the technology and knowledge of medicine, is a breach of medical ethics; yet health professionals are participating in such executions,” Welsh stated. “Professional bodies have recently spoken strongly about this abuse of ethics."

Amnesty reports that 1,000 people have been executed by lethal injection globally since 1982.

(Amnesty International Press Release, "World: Medical professionals break ethical oath with lethal injection, October 4, 2007). Read Amnesty International's press release. See also Lethal Injections and Resources.

www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=2476&scid=64

[legallybrunette]

When I read about the lethal injection, I get so anxious for my penpal as he is in San Quentin and isn't that the only means of execution over there? Why did they change it from the other forms of torture - sorry, I mean execution......? Was it to suggest this would be 'more humane' or less brutal than the other methods? I wish I could be sure it wouldn't hurt somehow and when the time came, it would be like going into a deep sleep.

[maxwedge426]

Deleted
This is a support site.

[legallybrunette]

I can understand your fury as a consequence of being a victim of crime through your brother's tragic death, at the thought of my feeling distress at the prospect of my penpal enduring pain during execution. However, I would suggest you not assume without knowing me or indeed anything about my knowledge of or opinion as to the crime my penpal committed, that I 'don't care' about the victim of the crime he committed. I care very much but his execution, will not bring back the victim of the crime. It serves only to satisfy the blood lust of those seeking vengeance. It must in my opinion, take a greater and more perfect being than you or I, to claim entitlement, to end another's life for any reason whatsoever.
I would ask on a separate note, why do you torture yourself by joining such a website, given your own circumstances and opinions of DP, the latter being clearly at odds with the object of this site? Surely it prolongs the pain? Like adding salt to open wounds?

[pumpkinpie]

legallybrunette said:

I would ask on a separate note, why do you torture yourself by joining such a website, given your own circumstances and opinions of DP, the latter being clearly at odds with the object of this site? Surely it prolongs the pain? Like adding salt to open wounds?

Don't worry brunette- that person is out of here!

[legallybrunette]

Thank you Pumpkin. Also for the sweet PM. I was a little bit hesitant about writing further in light of the sentiments expressed. Hell I get enough of that kind of thing in my daily life with shock horror reaction every time I receive a letter from my DR penfriend or when I express abhorrence for the DP.
We had a case recently in the news over here that illustrates perfectly, one of the risks of the DP ; a little girl of 11 (v. tiny for her age) was abducted some 30 years ago and sexually assaulted and then knifed to death on some lonely moors in the North of England by a local man. The police soon after, arrested and charged a 16 year old lad who argued his innocence for 16 years but to no avail. After all those years in jail, it transpired through new scientific evidence, that he could not have been the perpetrator of the crime. He was released but died a year later. He had learning difficulties but did understand he should not lie, Not that that affected how much he was hated by the public all those years.
Yesterday, the real murderer and abuser of that little child and another kid, was sent away for life for the crime. Perfect DNA match . Evidence unavailable to British cops back then so they had forced a conviction through against an innocent lad.
Who knows what other discoveries in evidential analysis will be made in years to come and establish people's innocence who now sit on DR.
I feel for that young boy who lost all his youth and effectively his life, for absolutely NO REASON but over zealous incompetent policing.

[pumpkinpie]

legallybrunette said:

Thank you Pumpkin. Also for the sweet PM. I was a little bit hesitant about writing further in light of the sentiments expressed. Hell I get enough of that kind of thing in my daily life with shock horror reaction every time I receive a letter from my DR penfriend or when I express abhorrence for the DP.

I know, I'm at the point now that I don't even bring up the subject of the death penalty at work or among family members unless they do first! Peoples reactions can get really discusting sometimes. I too have received the same type of negative reactions as you when approaching the subject of pen-pals or the death penalty in general. Some people can be so extremely closed-minded and vicious about the subject. It can get really irritating. But we won't be having the insults and nasty remarks here. This is a support site and people need to realize that when joining, your right! And if they don't then, not to worry, "they won't be staying" and neither will their posts. So remember, you never have to leave because of idiots here. You are one of the valuable members here, like me. ;D And happyhaddock and Janet, and any other long time members!

[janet]

Rarely do I discuss the death penalty or my writing to prisoners with my family or friends. Some of the vitriol I've received, I can well do without. I rather pity those who don't have enough room in their hearts to look behind the crime and see the human being. I've inured myself to the critisicm and quite directly, if asked for prurient details or information for no other reason than macabre curiosity, I have no compunction about stating that it's confidential and not anyones' business. It becomes much as any other habit ... easier to say.