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Doctors face ethics showdown in California execution case
AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 2/21/06 | Marilynn Marchione - ap

Posted on 02/21/2006 9:23:01 PM PST by NormsRevenge

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1 posted on 02/21/2006 9:23:04 PM PST by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

The AMA and many other medical groups have long opposed doctors having any role in executions, including monitoring a prisoner's vital signs or giving technical advice.

"They should not even certify death," because if they find the patient has not died it would lead to more drugs or electrocution to kill the patient, Miles said.

"The ethical standard is pretty much universal," said Leonard Rubenstein, a lawyer who is director of Boston-based Physicians for Human Rights. "It's the same reason physicians can't be involved in coerced interrogations," or help certify prisoners as psychiatrically fit to be executed, he said.

It's a voluntary rule and no doctors have been reprimanded or defrocked for taking part in executions.


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A voluntary rule? If only victims had the same consideration when they are murdered.

I'm sure there are doctors that would have volunteered to assist.


2 posted on 02/21/2006 9:26:01 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: NormsRevenge

b-b-b-but they have no problem with "doctors" executing babies in the womb?


3 posted on 02/21/2006 9:27:59 PM PST by Mr_Moonlight
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To: Mr_Moonlight

don't forget euthanasia too, as long as its state sanctioned.


4 posted on 02/21/2006 9:32:05 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: NormsRevenge

And don't forget that pharmacists have to hand out RU486 - because it's their job to do so...


5 posted on 02/21/2006 9:41:02 PM PST by IncPen (Torture should be safe, legal, and rare.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Just another frontal attack on the death penalty. Get out ole sparky!!


6 posted on 02/21/2006 9:43:03 PM PST by p23185
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To: NormsRevenge

All those in favor, raise your right hand: Let's execute this meddling, overly sensitive judge!! Then HE can tell us if if its painful.


7 posted on 02/21/2006 9:44:45 PM PST by singfreedom ("Victory at all costs,.......for without victory there is no survival."--Churchill--that's "Winston")
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To: singfreedom

Sorry, got carried away with the "if"!!


8 posted on 02/21/2006 9:46:04 PM PST by singfreedom ("Victory at all costs,.......for without victory there is no survival."--Churchill--that's "Winston")
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To: NormsRevenge

Doctors who have a problem with it should not be forced to do it. Imagine if what the pro-abortion lobby wants happens: doctors being forced to offer abortion as one of their services.


9 posted on 02/21/2006 9:48:48 PM PST by winner3000
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To: NormsRevenge

I've got the answer.

Put Morales on a feeding tube and then deny food and hydration. I'm told it's humane and painless.


10 posted on 02/21/2006 9:51:03 PM PST by Poincare
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To: winner3000

Good point.

The comment a CMA spokesmen made was the correctional system in California is large and should already have adequate personnel qualified or trained relatively easily to be involved in the process as needed.


11 posted on 02/21/2006 9:52:16 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: IncPen

And don't forget that pharmacists have to hand out RU486 - because it's their job to do so...
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Not sure but I think that's still on a state by state basis.


12 posted on 02/21/2006 9:54:04 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: NormsRevenge
Are these drugs really painful? What are they? If they're painful, why couldn't they just give a bolus of morphine prior. That would solve the problem.

These people are such hypocrites. They hide behind "ethics" the same way the terrorist hide behind "religion" There is nothing ethical about this. It's all political.

13 posted on 02/21/2006 9:54:25 PM PST by lizma
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To: NormsRevenge

I have no doubt that the judge was aware of the medical associations' prohibitions against participating in an execution. That's part of the plan to make executions by lethal injection impossible to carry out.

The irony is that the original 3-drug sequence that the judge worried would cause pain is EXACTLY the one used by Dr. Kevorkian to kill his "patient" on "60 Minutes" several years ago. Strange that supporters of assisted suicide have absolutely NO problem using the 3-drug sequence on patients, but somehow it's suddenly excruciating when applied to convicted murderers!


14 posted on 02/21/2006 9:57:53 PM PST by LibFreeOrDie (L'Chaim!)
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To: NormsRevenge
Not sure but I think that's still on a state by state basis.

I should have stated that I was aping the rhetoric of the left...

15 posted on 02/21/2006 9:58:53 PM PST by IncPen (Torture should be safe, legal, and rare.)
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To: lizma

http://people.howstuffworks.com/lethal-injection4.htm

The drugs are administered, in this order:

Anesthetic - Sodium thiopental, which has the trademark name Pentothal, puts the inmate into a deep sleep. This drug is a barbiturate that induces general anesthesia when administered intravenously. It can reach effective clinical concentrations in the brain within 30 seconds, according to an Amnesty International report. For surgical operations, patients are given a dose of 100 to 150 milligrams over a period of 10 to 15 seconds. For executions, as many as 5 grams (5,000 mg) of Pentothal may be administered. This in itself is a lethal dose. It's believed by some that after this anesthetic is delivered, the inmate doesn't feel anything.

Saline solution flushes the intravenous line.

Paralyzing agent - Pancuronium bromide, also known as Pavulon, is a muscle relaxant that is given in a dose that stops breathing by paralyzing the diaphragm and lungs. Conventionally, this drug takes effect in one to three minutes after being injected. In many states, this drug is given in doses of up to 100 milligrams, a much higher dose than is used in surgical operations -- usually 40 to 100 micrograms per one kilogram of body weight. Other chemicals that can be used as a paralyzing agent include tubocurarine chloride and succinylcholine chloride.

Saline solution flushes the intravenous line.

Toxic agent (not used by all states) - Potassium chloride is given at a lethal dose in order to interrupt the electrical signaling essential to heart functions. This induces cardiac arrest.
Within a minute or two after the last drug is administered, a physician or medical technician declares the inmate dead. The amount of time between when the prisoner leaves the holding cell and when he or she is declared dead may be just 30 minutes. Death usually occurs anywhere from five to 18 minutes after the execution order is given. After the execution, the body is placed in a body bag and taken to medical examiner, who may perform an autopsy. It is then either claimed by the inmate's family or interred by the state.


16 posted on 02/21/2006 10:04:09 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: IncPen

I take all comers, even apers. ;-)


17 posted on 02/21/2006 10:05:09 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: IncPen
And don't forget that pharmacists have to hand out RU486 - because it's their job to do so...

No they don't. But if their employer requires them to do it, they either have to or they lose their job. I don't get to pick and choose my daily tasks, why should they?

18 posted on 02/21/2006 10:06:25 PM PST by BearCub
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To: NormsRevenge

Go back to firing squads. Who cares.


19 posted on 02/21/2006 10:08:44 PM PST by Lauretij2
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To: NormsRevenge

I used to be an Army medic, I'll friggin do it for travel expenses.


20 posted on 02/21/2006 10:09:37 PM PST by trubluolyguy (Islam, Religion of Peace and they'll kill you to prove it.)
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