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

AP via KnoxNews ^ | 5/10/8

[Grizzled Bear]

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.

IIRC; the euthanasia execution procedure includes 3 drugs. The first is a heavy sedative. If you've been under general anesthetic you've experienced the criminal's "Trauma".

A few years ago a man on death row chose the electric chair. Immediately before his "appointment" he tried to get his execution stayed due to the method being "cruel."

He had been sentenced to death for raping a woman and torturing her to death. During his crime he repeatedly shocked the woman with electricity...

Pardon me if I don't get caught up in the hype.

[JohnLongIsland]

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens

This is why we all have to bite the bullet and reluctantly cast our vote for McLame.

[Grizzled Bear]

This is why we all have to bite the bullet and reluctantly cast our vote for McLame.

Any chance he might pull a "Sandra Day" on us?

[ApplegateRanch]

If the death penalty is unconstitutional, why does the Constitution specify it for certain crimes?

Why are judges, especially Federal Appellates and Supremes, so illiterate that they do not understand the difference between "and" and "or", as in "...cruel and unusual punishment..."?

Until they stuck their straws in the septic tank and stirred before drinking, the death penalty was not unusual. It is 'profiting from their own crime' to first ban it, then claim it is 'unusual'; therefore, 'cruel' should not be coming into play at all.

[Williams]

His comment is a great illustration of the left’s selective and skewed moral perspective.

[Eddie01]

FIRST break both ankles of the condemned, THEN give them the injections?

I am fine with that.

[GoldenPup]

So lets start shooting convicted murders...quicker and much less fuss. Not to mention cheaper. Guilty = BANG!!!!

Bed wetters amd hand wringers...UP YOURS !!!

[ApplegateRanch]

The person is paralyzed and cannot breathe yet is conscious.

Yeah, so? The VICTIM was probably also paralyzed...with fear; unable to breathe, but conscious. Oh, that's right; that is just the victim.

That's why we call it the CRIMINAL justice system; victims do not have rights, nor count.

If the criminal suffers a short bit, too damned bad. The Constitution specifies "cruel AND unusual", no matter how hard 'they' try to turn that "AND" into an "OR". The more they suffer, and the quicker they die, the better. Just put them out of our misery as expeditiously as possible...it makes it just that much sooner that they can cry on God's shoulder, before being kicked into The Pit.

ITMT, please continue to euthanize innocent, suffering animals as humanely as possible.

[Westlander]

This would be fun to watch-

[Auntie Mame]

I second your question about why executions aren’t done like we put down our beloved animals. Do you think it’s because the government (i.e., a bunch of people who couldn’t get work in the private sector who are best at shuffling paper) decided what drugs to use?

It really doesn’t make any sense.

[Amendment10]

In stark contrast to Justice Stevens' horse analogy in trying to discourage executions, note that Alexander Hamilton was killed by acting Vice President Aaron Burr in a bipartisan duel in the early 19th century.

Burr-Hamilton duel

[PzLdr]

The horse didn’t deserve to die. The prisoners do.

[chiefqc]

A large caliper bullet in the brain is cheap, sure and final.

[Spok]

Okay-let’s put a vet in charge of executions!

[wildbill]

since most death sentences are given to murderers of various stripes, I wonder how humanely the victims of these sociopaths died?

Was their death by a lethal injection that shut down their senses and breathing, or by some more violent means?

[Eddie01]

You might be on to something there...

[ModelBreaker]

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.

There you go. The constitution just keeps living and changing. It changes so quickly, the lefties can hardly keep up with it.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Succinylcholine is used as a muscle relaxant/paralytic during human surgery.

Muscle relaxants are not used ALONE as the killing agent.

The 3-drug execution procedure consists of (from Wikipedia):

* Sodium thiopental: ultra-short action barbiturate, an anaesthesic agent capable of rendering the offender unconscious in a few seconds.

* Pancuronium: non-depolarizing muscle relaxant, causes complete, fast and sustained paralysis of the skeletal striated muscles, including the diaphragm and the rest of the respiratory muscles; this would eventually cause death by asphyxiation.

* Potassium chloride: stops the heart, and thus causes death by cardiac arrest.

The same 3 drugs were used by Jack Kevorkian to “humanely” euthanize humans. He used this on the guy he killed on “60 Minutes” a few yeras ago. Seemed OK for that purpose...

You have point. If we go to a 2-step lethal injection, like vets use for pets, eliminating the muscle relaxant will save a few dollars. But then the activists will complain (as some have already) that the sedative could wear off too fast, allowing the person to feel the effects of the potassium chloride.

[eyedigress]

Take em’ to Louisville, make em’ run around the track, break their legs, and have a vet put them down. That Stephens is so creative.

[mad_as_he$$]

As it should be Mr. Justice. (title in respect for the position)