Romell Broom, 52, was given a rare one-week reprieve when officials struggled for hours to find a vein strong enough to handle lethal injection. The scene was particularly grotesque for critics of the death penalty as Broom awaited his death for hours as he was pricked and probed. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland eventually ordered the one-week delay to allow prison officials time to figure out the best vein to use to execute him.
Broom was convicted of raping and fatally stabbing a 14-year-old girl in East Cleveland, Ohio, in 1984. Broom reportedly tried to help the prison staff find a vein in his own execution.
The defense moved quickly when Broom’s lawyer in prison, Adele Shank (a particularly apt name for a prisoner lawyer), notified co-counsel Tim Sweeney that they could not find a vein at the Lucasville facility. They did an excellent job in moving to seek a termination of the procedure.
For some, this brings up memories of problems in May 2006 when Ohio officials took 90 minutes to find a vein in the execution of Joseph Clark, who was heard pleading with the officials “It don’t work.”
Then in 2007, officials in Ohio took two hours to find a vein for Christopher Newton’s execution.
These botched executions are often cited as magnifying the cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. However, courts have rejected such claims in the past and find that the state cannot anticipate every eventuality. Yet, Ohio’s persistent difficulties raise some question as to whether the state is less competent in executions or whether other states are less careful. The possibility of a vein not functioning fully can cause a horrific outcome where the inmate is not fully sedated and not given sufficient lethal doses to ensure rapid death.
I have previously written about the problem associated with lethal injection, here.
For the full story, click here.
To all of our Jewish visitors let me wish you a (belated) greeting and good wishes on this day of atonement and looking forward to the new year; may your pockets be empty as you leave the river’s edge and your sins simply a memory. And thanks for the profoundly important act for which you atone.
Thanks Mike, sorry if I offended..
Okay everybody, not a word that I’ve peeked in today, which being Rosh Hashonah I really shouldn’t have. Then too as a Deist Jew I do allow myself certain latitude. The interplay though with Billy and its’ resolution have been too interesting to miss out on.
Billy,
When I first started seeing your comments I was happy to have you aboard, you were thoughtful and brought a new perspective which is always welcome. The first inkling of problems came with your exuberant comments on another thread talking about “chicks” and a “hot latina waitress.” I found it disturbing, but chalked it up to possibly your age. This is not because I’m a sexual prude, but because I respect women. Then when you began to take on Mespo, Buddha, et. al. I came to see there was a problem and here it is in my opinion:
Questioning peoples manhood is immature and as life has taught both of the two old codgers here, FFLEO being the other, not smart. In life the people who are really tough, or really capable of administering a verbal thrashing, never have to go out of their way to prove it. They also never need to question the manhood of their opponent. That’s schoolyard stuff.
Secondly, this is a gay friendly website, so the implication of being gay, or the stereotype of male gay effeminacy (or for lesbians “butchiness”)is not cool. It is certainly not going to be respected as a debating style.
In your own words you’ve said you appreciate this site for its’ uniqueness as blogs go. That uniqueness is generally its civility and the intelligence of its posters. No doubt you’ve been to many other blogs and have noticed that the level of discourse is mainly rather poor and uninformed. Here you get the chance to interact with some very smart people and even an old fart like me finds himself learning things every day.
Your expression of regret is most welcome by me and truly exhibits maturity. By the way we’re not asking you to back down from an argument, none of us do, but please make your points based on the issues at hand and not on a “schoolyard call out”
level. Welcome aboard and I hope to enjoy your contributions.
Pete Carrol LOST! The men from Troy look very vulnerable. Heck, they lost to a Husky team that went 0-12 last season. OUCH! I don’t think Pete’s Trojans are gonna be #3 in the land on monday morn. Maybe CW is finally able to win a big game in South bend(they did today), and knock off a Trojan team that has a pretty anemic offense. Methinks Pete C. will have his “kids” ready to play in South bend on Oct. 17. Go Blue!
Slickone, I live and die for Michigan football! RR is getting things turned around nicely in Ann Arbor. The Maize and Blue is a little thin on defense, but with todays win, they have equaled last season’s abysmal total.. Mike Leach has got a new stud at QB. This kid is gonna make people forget about Graham Harrell in a hurry. Texas Tech is gonna give the Horns’ all they want tonight in Austin. How bout the Trojans, knotted at half time up in Seattle against the Huskies. I smelled upset here, after last weeks shaky offensive performance in Columbus. Second half yet to go. Goood luck on todays football picks, I’ll check in later.
Ok, I know its Go Blow. I have seen it written many times. Maze is that not corn? E MI, Last year Tech deserved to win. The only time you needed to watch the game was the first 5 and last 3 minutes. That Crabtree is good and he got cheated out of the Heisman.
However my money is on Texas. However you spell it The University; the University of Texas; or Texas’ University; or God’s Gift to the Civilized World, it is one in the same, don’t you agree?
So if God is not Texas Longhorn, then why’s the sunset Burnt Orange? Hummm?