Anesthesiologists Delay Calif. Execution

AP/YAHOO ^ | 2/21/06 | LISA LEFF

[Vaquero]

Anesthesiologists Delay Calif. Execution

By LISA LEFF, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 13 minutes ago

SAN QUENTIN, Calif. - The planned execution of a man convicted of raping and murdering a 17-year-old girl was delayed until Tuesday night after two anesthesiologists refused to participate because of ethical concerns. ADVERTISEMENT

With the execution scheduled for 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, defense lawyers requested a stay from the federal judge who last week ordered San Quentin State Prison to have an anesthesiologist on hand to minimize Michael Angelo Morales' pain as he was put to death by lethal injection. A second anesthesiologist was retained as a backup.

Although U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel denied the motion, both anesthesiologists withdrew, citing ethical concerns raised by his ruling.

The exact wording of the judge's order was not immediately available, but the anesthesiologists issued a statement through the prison saying they were concerned about a requirement that they intervene in the event that Morales woke up or appeared to be in pain.

"Any such intervention would clearly be medically unethical," said the doctors, who have not been identified. "As a result, we have withdrawn from participation in this current process."

The American Medical Association, the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the California Medical Association all opposed the anesthesiologists' participation as unethical and unprofessio

[Vaquero]

Lets get the word out to all right minded CA Anesthesiologists, to get down there to San Quentin to get this important job done.

[Mamzelle]

Why is an MD required?

[digger48]

[trashcanbred]

Paging Dr. Howard, Dr Fine, Dr Howard.

[goldstategop]

Let's just withold food and water. Judge Fogel should have no constitutional problem with it. His judicial soulmate Judge Greer already gave it a thumbs-up last year.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[ECM]

I'd prefer Dr. Lechter at this point...

[SIDENET]

The planned execution of a man convicted of raping and murdering a 17-year-old girl was delayed until Tuesday night after two anesthesiologists refused to participate because of ethical concerns.

WTH?

[Ditter]

I am not sure I understand their objections. It would be unethical to stop the man's pain just before he died?

[Vaquero]

exactly...a bullet to the head or a neck tie party would be my solution. We must be kindler, gentler, compassionate, executioners now, when the vermin under the death warrant were cold blooded killers.

Try to figure it out and it will make you nuts.

[VRWCmember]

"Any such intervention would clearly be medically unethical," said the doctors, who have not been identified. "As a result, we have withdrawn from participation in this current process."

Of course, intervention in the birth process whereby a pair of scissors is stuck into the baby's skull (without benefit of an anesthesiologist to protect the baby from pain) and the baby's brain is sucked out so the skull can be crushed in order to make it easier to then deliver the dead baby for the convenience of the mother who decides late in the pregancy that she no longer wants the baby -- that is not an ethical concern at all.

[sofaman]

I can go to the dentist who will sedate me so that I don't feel a thing while he worls on my teeth. This man strangles a girl with his belt, when the belt breaks he smashes her skull with a hemmer, drags her from the car and rapes her. And the judge is concerned that this piece of work may feel a touch of pain.

The murderer is given a sedative prior to the lethal drugs being introduced. This has been well documented.

Mr Judge, you should be ashamed of yourself. What kind of justice are you providing the victim and her family?

[goldstategop]

Its comes down to our need to show compassion to a child killer. If it was to me, I'd volunteer to strangle him with my bare hands and go soundly to sleep tonight. And I'd have no ethical problem with delivering justice that way. Its more humane than the needle.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Vaquero]

Paging Dr. Howard, Dr Fine, Dr Howard.

[sofaman]

let's try again....

worls = works

and a hemmer = hammer

it's early...leave me alone.

[Mamzelle]

Have you taken a professional oath never to do such a thing? I think this is a better job for a lawyer.

[Arm_Bears]

But, let a pharmacist refuse to fill a script for RU-486, and all hell breaks loose.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

The Death Penalty isn't for making examples it's for making bad people DEAD!

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Hey, move him to Oregon, assisted suicide is all the rage here!

[claudiustg]

Obstruction of justice.

[goldstategop]

I'm not a doctor. Just a concerned average citizen who's had it with liberal judges coddling murderers.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")