Does lethal injection constitute "cruel and unusual punishment"?

United States
December 17, 2006 2:56pm CST
In light of the problems in California and Florida, should lethal injection be banned because it is "cruel and unusual"? This week Florida juiced a murderer and the execution took twice as long as it should have, thus prompting Governor Bush to suspend all executions until a review panel has reviewed the State's procedures. Personally, I think the method is fine...(1) put the condemned person to sleep, and then (2) stop their heart, and (3) stop their breathing. Sounds simple enough and humane enough to me...certainly better than having your head caught on fire due to electrocution, or worse dismembered due an improper hanging, or seeing how long you can hold your breath when they gas you. So, the problems with any execution probably aren't due to the method (except maybe the gas chamber...that gives me the shivers a little bit), but how it is administered. In Florida, the guy inserting the needle went all the way through the condemned mans veins (in both arms), and therefore, he didn't go nighty night too quickly. Thus, he may have been awake when the heart stoppers and breathing blockers went in, and more than likely he felt a little discomfort. This is certainly not the form of execution for an insomniac. So, the question is...should the method be banned, or should we just train people how to insert a needle, and check it to see if you are in fact, in the vein? I'd like to read the O&M manual on this one.
2 people like this
1 response
@vikceo (1301)
• India
18 Dec 06
yes it is