{ John Paul Stevens } Supreme Court Justice says horse died more humanely than death row prisoners

AP via KnoxNews ^ | 5/10/8

[SmithL]

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens says the euthanized Kentucky Derby horse Eight Belles probably died more humanely than death row prisoners do.

Stevens drew a round of applause for his comments Friday night in Chattanooga at the 68th conference of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The comments were reported in the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

According to the newspaper, in brief remarks Stevens told the audience he checked into the procedure used to kill Eight Belles and was surprised to learn it is against the law in Kentucky to kill animals using one of the drugs in a three-drug lethal injection cocktail that many states, including Kentucky, use to execute prisoners.

The speech comes on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling that shot down a challenge to the three-drug lethal injection protocol by two Kentucky inmates. Stevens voted with the majority on the question of lethal injections but said for the first time that he now believes the death penalty is unconstitutional.

The conference drew almost 50 federal judges and more than 800 attorneys who practice in the 6th Circuit, which has jurisdiction in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan.

Stevens presides over the appeals court his position on the Supreme Court.

[weegee]

"Giddy up!!!"

[svcw]

Wow. I did not know we broke the legs of death row inmates before we execute them - thats kool.

[fhayek]

I have no problem using more humane lethel injections. Just as long as they are used.

[weegee]

The horse also died more humanely than the murder victims of death row inmates.

[Waco]

and piss on their victims too!! don’t forget!!!!

[Jack Black]

John Paul Stevens? I loved his bass playing with Zep, when did he become a vegetarian?

[Fido969]

He’s right. We should break these guys’ legs before we give them the needle.

[NordP]

As it should be...

[True Republican Patriot]

Hopefully someone or group will publish a book with these horrors and DVDs as well along with “THE PATH TO 911” to remind all of the horrors the DEMORATS WANT TO COVER UP AND IGNORE! MAY AMERICA BE SAVED FROM THE DEMORATS!

[chaosagent]

FWIW,

I’ve always wondered why they don’t use the same drugs on inmates as they do on dogs and cats.

Having worked as a Vet assistant during high school and having to have several animals put down over the years, I’ve seen how the animals just get sleepy, fall asleep and never wake up.

The drugs just gradually supress their body functions until they stop breathing. But by then they’re unconcious.

So why don’t they do executions this way?

[proudpapa]

...or die. That’s what most people do when they’re 89.

[Never2baCrat]

<< As a veterinarian, I agree with Stevens. The use of succinylcholine in the human euthanasia procedure is cruel and inhumane. The person is paralyzed and cannot breathe yet is conscious. I think it would be more humane if they would euthanize the criminals with the same drugs we use on animals. The use of succinylcholine for euthanasia was prohibited by the veterinary profession almost thirty years ago. Stevens knows his drugs and procedures. >>

Why should murderers be put to death more humanely than their victims? These ba$tard$ should suffer even more than what their victims went through!

[NordP]

Oh...that’s rich! I LOVE IT....put it on national TV too!

[NordP]

To say NOTHING about how their victims died.

.

And DO NOT give me that two wrongs don't make a right, crap, either!"

[NordP]

Personally, I'm for a program that gives death row inmates the job of killing other death row inmates EXACTLY how their victims were killed.

It's a win...win!

[NordP]

Another great point!

[tlj18]

Inhumane does not equal cruel or unusual. Besides, why do murderers need to die humanely? We need to go back to hangings and shootings as a means of execution. Less than 10% of murderers are executed - that needs to be reversed. AND - executions need to be televised, or at least made available for viewing online.

I'll tell you what's really inhumane - imprisonment as a means of punishment. No! Put them in slave labor camps instead. If they stole money, make them pay it back plus a lot extra.

[Richard Kimball]

Stevens is an excellent example of the chaos that ensues when smart people with no ethics resort to "any argument in a storm." Stevens, as do many liberals, opposes the death penalty. They want it banned as "cruel and unusual punishment" under the Constitution. Unfortunately for them, they lost that argument, and there's little chance of the death penalty itself being overturned. So they now concentrate on whether or not the individual feels pain during the fifteen or so minutes it takes to die.

Obviously, the psychological stress is going to be far worse than any physical pain. In terms of physical pain, the death penalty is no more painful than being put to sleep for surgery. However, despite the fact that the argument is totally bogus, it's maintained some traction in court. The people making the argument know it's bogus, but they'll keep using it as long as they can to delay executions and try to overturn the death penalty.

[rahbert]

That would be my preference as well. Nothing says you effed
up better than the 13 step walk.

[Species8472]

I guess I'm pretty cruel and inhumane too, As a paramedic for 30+ years I've used succinylcholine in hundreds of rapid sequence intubations I've done on human beings. Of course it's in conjunction with sedative agents as well. (Just like executions from what I understand)

NOT impressed with Stevens.