SCOTUS rules man can be executed by lethal injection after claim it would cause 'severe pain'(tr)

The Hill ^ | April 1, 2019

[SMGFan]

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Monday that a Missouri man can be executed by lethal injection after he argued that a medical condition would cause him "severe pain" during the procedure. Russell Bucklew, who was convicted of murder, kidnapping and rape, appealed his planned execution, claiming it would violate his Eighth Amendment rights protecting him against "cruel and unusual punishment."

Justice Neil Gorsuch, however, wrote in the court’s opinion that justices “can discern no lawful basis” for blocking Bucklew’s execution.

Bucklew had been convicted in the 1996 kidnapping and rape of his ex-girlfriend, Stephanie Ray, and the murder of Michael Sanders, a neighbor who Ray was staying with at the time. Bucklew's execution was originally scheduled for May 2014.

[DoodleDawg]

But Gorsuch wrote in his opinion issued Monday that the Eighth Amendment “does not guarantee a prisoner a painless death — something that, of course, isn’t guaranteed to many people, including most victims of capital crimes.”

Seldom see a justice make that much sense in a decision.

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

Hmmm...like a safe abortion...vacuum piece by piece or forecepts to the brain and extract? Is that cruel and unusual? It’s legal in all 50!

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

i don’t know why they don’t just asphyxiate with pure nitrogen gas: completely painless ...

That's actually what the guy is asking for. The court said that the state can't be compelled to adopt "untried and untested" methods, and he didn't prove that it would, in fact, be less painful.

[txrefugee]

At last! A Supreme Court Justice with common sense who actually appears to know right from wrong. We are blessed. May there be others to share his opinions soon.

[chuckee]

Perhaps states might consider giving the condemned a choice between lethal injection or a clean bullet shot to the forehead, quick and easy and no pain and a little epoxy to fill the hole so he looks pretty for his funeral. I only say this to overcome the constant legal challenges that lethal injection causes pain or that manufactures no longer want to supply the chemical for the injection.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Severe pain? What does he think old sparky causes? Probably not as much pain as he caused his victim.

[bert]

the lawyer is the one needing the shot

Why chase ambulances if ever 5 years or so you can file new appeal on a death penalty case

[libstripper]

It's like riding a time machine. One shot and ZAP! in the recovery room with nothing in between, not even any sense of losing consciousness.

[libstripper]

It's like riding a time machine. One shot and ZAP! in the recovery room with nothing in between, not even any sense of losing consioiusness.

[Richard Kimball]

it brings on many changes...

Robert Altman's son, Michael, wrote the words when he was 14. His dad didn't seem to have any problem with it. If one of my kids had written something like that, I would have freaked out.

Through early morning fog I see
Visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please

I try to find a way to make
All our little joys relate
Without that ever-present hate
But now I know that it's too late, and

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please

The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
So this is all I have to say

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I'm beat
And to another give my seat
For that's the only painless feat

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please

The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger watch it grin, but

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please

A brave man once requested me
To answer questions that are key
Is it to be or not to be
And I replied 'Oh, why ask me? '

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please

'Cause suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please

And you can do the same thing if you please

[fortes fortuna juvat]

I truly don’t care about any pain and terror the murdered experiences as I expect it will not come anywhere near the level of pain and terror his victim experienced while he raped and murdered her.
.....................................
In a truly civilized country criminals such as this one would be tried, convicted, sentenced to death, and publicly hanged with 10 days of their apprehension. No appeals and no exceptions.

[Fast Moving Angel]

That made me hurt just reading about it. My sympathies for your ordeal(s).

[mass55th]

"That made me hurt just reading about it. My sympathies for your ordeal(s)."

Thanks. The 50's was a great time to be a kid unless you got sick. Had my tonsils out at 5, and can still remember the smell of the ether/cloroform they used to put me out via a mesh mask. Even having a baby wasn't as bad as those Polio shots.