Inmate Dies 2 Hours After Execution Began in Arizona - TWO HOURS!!! WTF?!?!!!

[Cali_Democrat]

An inmate's execution with lethal drugs in Arizona today took almost two hours as the man gasped and snorted, prompting his lawyers to request an emergency halt to the procedure.

"The execution of Joseph Wood commenced at 1:57 p.m. at the Arizona State Prison Complex (ASPC)-Florence and he was pronounced dead at 3:49 p.m.," Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne said in a statement.

Wood's attorneys filed a motion for emergency stay of the execution after Wood was reported “gasping and snorting for more than an hour,” according to court documents they filed. Justice Anthony Kennedy denied the appeal about a half hour after Wood's death, the Associated Press reported. An AP reporter who witnessed the execution saw Wood gasp more than 600 times before he died.

"The experiment using midazolam combined with hydromorphone to carry out an execution failed today in Arizona. It took Joseph Wood two hours to die, and he gasped and struggled to breath for about an hour and forty minutes," said Dale Baich, one of Joseph Wood’s attorneys.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/arizona-execution-takes-hours-prompts-plea-stay/story?id=24687542

How is this not cruel and unusual punishment?

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Jesus fucking christ what the fuck is wrong with us?

This poor person's lawyers begged to courts to lift the wall of secrecy surrounding Arizona's execution process so that it could be examined to make sure it was NOT CRUEL AND UNUSUAL.

We are fucking monsters.

[Lochloosa]

4. .....

[Rex]

6. Yep cruel and unusual...and wtf if this keeping secrets?

Scalia probably had no problem with denying his stay. Barbaric, really cannot get around the fact that the DP is barbaric and something uncivilized by any standards we pretend to live by.

Here in Texas, our governor is proud of how many executions we rack up a year. Proud.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

52. Sad how barbaric conservatives have become, no doubt rejoicing in the suffering of others.

[marlakay]

2. Why can't they at least put them to sleep first?

Like a dentist pulling teeth, count backwards from ten and you never make it to five...

I hate death penalty but there is no excuse for this...

We might as well throw stones like in Rome and charge money, pay tv. That seems to be what our insane society wants...ugh!!!!!

[enough]

3. And 2 minutes for a police murder of Eric Garner on the sidewalk in Staten Island.

Something very wrong indeed.

[etherealtruth]

5. Not cruel and unusual

BARBARIC

[malaise]

7. But but but Governor Brewer

Read these comments

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/23/arizona-killer-still-alive-an-hour-after-execution-begins

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/arizona-execution-takes-two-hours-to-finish/
<snip>
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said in a statement that she was "concerned by the length of time" it took Wood to die. She said she has ordered the Department of Corrections to conduct a complete review of the execution process.

"One thing is certain, however, inmate Wood died in a lawful manner and by eyewitness and medical accounts he did not suffer. This is in stark comparison to the gruesome, vicious suffering that he inflicted on his two victims - and the lifetime of suffering he has caused their family," the governor said.

-------------
and the family
Family members of the victims said they had no problems with the way the execution was carried out.

"This man conducted a horrific murder and you guys are going, let's worry about the drugs," said Richard Brown. "Why didn't they give him a bullet, why didn't we give him Drano?"
---------------------
The word is BARBARIAN.

Rachel is on this now

[etherealtruth]

10. OMG

[PeteSelman]

8. Double murderer and rapist.

No sympathy from me.

If they would just use a mechanical guillotine or a simple .45 slug behind the ear, this could all be avoided. But no , we have to have bloodless executions so this is what you get.

[randys1]

9. America is better than that...we shouldnt kill anyone

But we do, and like George Carlin said, we usually kill Brown people, and it is a good thing we are good at it, we arent much good at anything else anymore...

Based on this story, seems we arent even good at killing people anymore...

[Logical]

12. What a shock! How progressive of you! nt

[PeteSelman]

18. I'm sorry that I have different positions on different issues.

Actually, I'm not sorry. Like most people, I have positions all over the political spectrum. I'm liberal/progressive on most things. I just happen to be in the pro-DP camp on this one.

[Logical]

22. Look at the other countries who still do it vs. those...

Who do not. Then think real hard!

[PeteSelman]

26. Yes, I've heard this argument before.

Just apply the broken clock rule. Not everything they do is wrong.

What do you think of Japan?

[Logical]

30. Lol, you pick japan! Want me to ask you about a few? Some people are....

Vengeful. I get it.

[PeteSelman]

40. I was giving you China, Iran, Arabia etc.

As the broken clock countries.

I just wondered if you thought Japan was as bad as they, considering the Japanese have capital punishment too.

Did you hear the family members of the victims? I suppose they are "vengeful" too. Of course they are. Most people would be.

[Logical]

43. All pro DP people want revenge, no study shows any deterrent with it. Only...

Revenge. It is more expensive, etc.

The lynch mobs were popular 150 years ago also.

[PeteSelman]

44. Yeah but lynch victims got no trial.

This latest asshole did. What has that to do with anything?

It wouldn't be more expensive if they would just shoot the bastards after the verdict.

[Logical]

46. Classy, and really stupid considering how many people have been released off.....

Death row over the years. Are you sure you have thought more that 5 minutes on this topic???

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-list-those-freed-death-row

You scare the shit out of me.

[MoonRiver]

48. Considering Japan's cruel and barbaric "custom" of massacring whales and dolphins

I am NOT surprised.

[Arugula Latte]

54. So I must conclude you are just fine with innocent people being executed...

because it has happened MANY times in the past and it will keep happening if we continue with this barbaric policy.

[PeteSelman]

58. No. I'm not.

I think it's terribly unfortunate. But as we get better with the DNA and all the chances lessen to the point where it doesn't happen. That's the past.

Besides, I'm only for executing the absolutely guilty. The open and closed, no doubt about it cases. Caught red handed or on video or confessions such as the cop killer in jersey city last week.

If there's any doubt, you can rot in jail until guilt or innocence can be proved.

[Arugula Latte]

59. We will NEVER get to 100 percent accuracy.

Never.

People lie, people make mistakes, and people plant evidence because they have an agenda. People even confess falsely because they are worn down, under duress, having a mental breakdown, what have you. It happens, and you'll never be able to stop it 100 percent of the time.

After people are wrongfully executed, it's obviously just too late to rectify.

[PeteSelman]

60. You say that because you just don't want it.

I say you can execute only guilty people.

[Arugula Latte]

61. You are living in a dream world.

Human error will never, ever disappear completely.

[flvegan]

13. An emotional response supporting revenge.

Thank you for your concern, it's been noted.

[morningfog]

14. "No sympathy from me." Oh, such a tough guy. Heartless, but tough.

We should have no executions. Period. Welcome to the 21st century, chap.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

17. Sweet jeebus, the people you meet on a liberal web site...

[PeteSelman]

20. You'd agree with me on 90% of things.

One doesn't have to be all one way to qualify as a liberal. And really, I don't care what anyone thinks, else I'd just not say anything. I won't hide a position just because people will disagree. I just say how I feel. Isn't that what this is all about?

[Gidney N Cloyd]

29. We'd all probably agree with everyone on 90% of things.

There are a few basic liberal/progressive principals and one is anti-capital punishment.

[trumad]

37. Answer me this Pete.

Do you think innocent people have been executed via the death penalty?

[PeteSelman]

45. Probably at some point.

But I wouldn't excite anyone without 100% certainty of guilt. The movie theater shooter in Colorado for example. Or the douche that shot Gabby Giffords.

[trumad]

49. So your OK with the few who got it and they were innocent?

See Pete---that's why the pro-death penalty folks have no moral ground to stand on.

You can't pick or choose---it's either full death penalty or none at all.

[Maraya1969]

33. Yea, he murders 2 and the Arizona gov. only murdered 1

What people do not understand about the death penalty is it the exact same crime that most of the people they murder did .

I want to know why most don't refer to it as murder just because 12 people and a judge decide to do it.

And I don't care what the person did. To kill that person is murder.

[LanternWaste]

39. Which is of course, the catalyst for many of these actions in the first place...

"No sympathy from me..."

Which is of course, the catalyst for many of these actions in the first place. But no doubt you'll rationalize yours as righteous...

[PeteSelman]

47. Correct.

I don't advocate killing for fun or becUse I'm a maniac. I advocate it for justice and punishment.

Big difference.

[RagAss]

11. Any society that would allow this, has got it coming to them.

[morningfog]

15. ENOUGH! This has got to end.

[Sunlei]

16. wonder if one or more of those drugs are bogus?. give the people in jail waiting to die, a choice to

self suicide with a massive heroin overdose.

And test those drugs, some one sells the state 20k vials of colored water.

[JohnyCanuck]

19. This is what puzzles me.

Veterinarians routinely euthanize animals from kittens to horses when necessary in what I have always been lead to believe was a humane, painless manner with no discomfort caused by the drug(s) used and in a process that takes only a few minutes. So how come it is such a difficult task to sort out how to do the same thing with a death row inmate when the time comes? Maybe someone with a medical background can offer some insight.

[progressoid]

23. From what I've heard, that doesn't always go so well either.

Retired vet told me once. Sometimes it doesn't go as planned.

[flamingdem]

21. Jan Brewer says they'll

"look into it".

At least the media attention might force that to happen.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

24. Federal judge ordered the county coroner to preserve the body and tissues.

Tonite on MSNBC they said the coroner said he would not follow that order.

Then they'll have a show cause hearing and I wanna see the coroner UNDER the jail for contempt of court.

You DO NOT CROSS a Federal judge. They are the princes of the realm.

[Swede Atlanta]

57. This is a continued sign the country is on its way to disintegration.......

This isn't the first time we have seen local law enforcement and/or other state officials refuse to follow a federal judge's order.

When inferior entities such as law enforcement agencies, coroner's offices, etc. openly refuse to comply with a court order the whole system collapses. Judges know they have limited means to enforce their orders. They rely completely on an ordered society for this to work.

When individuals take it upon themselves to decide what they will comply with and what they won't you have total lawlessness. That is lawlessness. While I disagree with EOs, I don't believe they rise to the level of lawlessness.

[badtoworse]

25. Was he conscious? If not, what difference does it make?

[spanone]

27. it's torture

[Paladin]

28. You either support the Eighth Amendment, or you don't.

If you don't, you've positioned yourself in Dick Cheney Territory. Enjoy your stay.

[NM_Birder]

31. I too support the eighth amendment,

but you do realize the eighth amendment supports the use of the death penalty right ?

I'm not for draw and quartering, or burning alive, or even desecrating a grave. I think the most humane thing would be to poison their last meal, my preference on the other hand would be the hangman's noose, just before their last meal. I've never understood the treat of a good meal just before being executed.

An error, resulting is suffering at execution is neither cruel nor unusual punishment.

[Paladin]

35. We'll just have to differ over "cruel and unusual."

With all the resources at its disposal, I just don't think the government should be making repeated errors like this. You see how it brings out the "bread and circuses" crowd, even on a Democratic site like this.

[NM_Birder]

55. a Democrat can be pro-death penalty.

I'm on board with "quick and painless". A vicious dog is put down because it cannot be trusted to not harm again, same goes for people.

I agree, the primary goal should be the removal of the problem, not the comfort of the problem's experience. Nothing is "error free", so lengthen the drop distance to 12' and a hanging is pretty humane.

[Paladin]

56. I think you and I agree on most things.

Although from what I've read over the years, hanging is at least as problematic as injecting some more-or-less lethal drugs.

[snooper2]

32. I can't believe the year is 2014 and we forgot how to kill people

Maybe we need to go old school and borrow an active volcano from somebody

[Maraya1969]

34. One of those drugs is an opiate and the other a benzodiazepine. I take them everyday

Some people take a LOT of the stuff so they would be much more tolerant than someone who never used them.

[G_j]

36. "The experiment"

[Calista241]

38. I have a hard time getting worked up over the DP.

Considering who gets the punishment.

IMO there are a zillion other things we would want to do first to improve our society before tackling the deaths of 100 or so pitiful excuses for humanity that get executed every year.

[trumad]

50. You do realize that innocent people have been out to death.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

51. Yay, another one.

Part of me would love to see the prioritized list of social improvements favored by those who come here to support the DP.
The other part would rather keep its breakfast down.

[Dreamer Tatum]

41. I'd be in favor of the firing squad. nt

[oldandhappy]

42. We have become a cruel nation.

I would request a firing squad but do not know if death penalty prisoners have any rights to choose method of death. This drug business is nasty.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

53. We can put a dog down humanely in under 2 minutes

but we suck so badly at killing humans that it takes two hours?

They might as well simply have slit his wrists and let him bleed out after sedating him. It would have been far faster.