Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Clayton Lockett Botched Execution

Hey, props to Oklahoma whose officials will almost single handedly ensure that the death penalty is finally ruled cruel and unusual.

This execution went so awry that officials tried to resuscitate Lockett.

Frankly, just bring back the firing squad. Damn.

At London's Daily Mail, "Killer dies of heart attack after twenty minutes of agony when Oklahoma experimental drug execution goes wrong. Second lethal injection postponed."

Also at the Tulsa World, "Execution botched before inmate dies of heart attack; second execution postponed":


McALESTER -- The execution of convicted killer Clayton Lockett was botched tonight at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary before he died of a massive heart attack. The event prompted officials to postpone a second execution scheduled for two hours later.
Lockett was given execution drugs and reacted violently, kicking and grimacing while lifting his head off the gurney to which he was strapped. He was pronounced dead at 7:06 p.m. inside the execution chamber -- 43 minutes after the process began -- Department of Corrections Director Robert Patton said.

In a media conference, Patton said Lockett's veins "exploded" during the execution, which began at 6:23 p.m. The inmate died from what Patton called a "massive heart attack." The death occurred after the execution process was halted.

Convicted killer Charles Warner was scheduled to be executed at 8 p.m. Patton said he notified the governor's office and the attorney general's office about the events and asked for a 14-day delay of Warner's execution, which was scheduled for 8 p.m.
Gov. Mary Fallin issued a statement tonight saying she had issued an executive order delaying Warner's execution for 14 days.

“I have asked the Department of Corrections to conduct a full review of Oklahoma’s execution procedures to determine what happened and why during this evening’s execution of Clayton Derrell Lockett,” Fallin said in the statement. “I have issued an executive order delaying the execution of Charles Frederick Warner for 14 days to allow for that review to be completed.”

Tonight's executions were to be the first in Oklahoma using a new three-drug cocktail of vecuronium bromide, midazolam and potassium chloride.

Lockett had no last words as the execution began. Sixteen minutes after it started, OSP Warden Anita Trammell said: “We’re going to lower the blinds temporarily.” A doctor in the chamber went to Lockett’s right arm and lifted the sheet, apparently checking his vein where a tube had been inserted.

Patton left the room for several minutes and was on the phone. Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Thompson then left the observation area to take a phone call from the line inside the execution chamber.

When Patton returned to the observation room, he said: “We’ve had a vein failure in which the chemicals did not make it into the offender. Under my authority, we’re issuing a stay for the second execution.”
More at that top link.

Amazing.

Leftist demands for more "humane" executions ends up bringing about more inhumanity --- and, ultimately, a further erosion of public support for capital punishment.

There's gotta be some Alinskyite angle in here somewhere. Man, those criminal-coddling progs are good!


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