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.
Byron wrote, puzzling:what is the basis for your thoughts?
Since the death penalty is irrevocable (if the government is even competent enough to carry it out), the real risk that innocents are convicted and executed (either in error, or deliberately by framing them), means that the death penalty is an inherently dangerous institution to society, even if it is suits some desire for retribution against murderers. I agree with Henry’s earlier comments on the subject.
Beyond these concerns is the risk that government continues to raise the penalties for lesser crimes such that people might one day be executed for drug trafficking and other so-called crimes against society and the State.
hei·nous
adj.
Grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable: a heinous crime.
Bob,Esq.,
Your two exceptions do not make sense. If by “felony in progress,” you mean that one should have a right to kill someone who is committing a felony, then you are not talking about the death penalty, as that is a penalty imposed by a judge. And a felony could include shoplifting merchandise worth more than a specified amount or possession of more than a specified amount of marijuana.
“Treason” is defined in the Constitution to include giving enemies of the United States “Aid and Comfort,” and that can include relatively benign acts. It is counterintuitive, to say the least, to rate treason, regardless of the circumstances, as more serious than mass murder.
Henry,
Within the context of a death penalty, the phrase “beyond a reasonable doubt” necessitates a process by which innocent people will be killed.
The categorical imperative, i.e. “adopt only that maxim that you would will to become a universal law,” demands that the mere adoption of a procedure that puts innocent people to death also demands that the people who adopted said procedure be put to death as well. Ultimately we’d be left with a planet populated by the intellectually dishonest who by their nature would find a way to finish themselves off eventually.
Anyway, I’m against the death penalty in almost every case.
The two exceptions are felony in progress & most of all treason.
puzzling:
what is the basis for your thoughts?
it sure sounds like the attempt was both cruel and unusual.
The State should never have the power to execute individuals for crimes.
Not only is our system prone to error and abuse in which innocents can be executed, but the penalty itself is applied unevenly across class and race.
The death penalty is far more useful as a tool of a tyrannical government than as an effective deterrent to crime. The construct of a death penalty also opens the door to use of that penalty for lesser crimes, including victimless crimes.
Slickone, no evidence is 100% foolproof. The DNA or the video test could be faked or altered, and many innocent people confess to crimes they didn’t commit.
The current list of people released from death row for innocence is 135; see http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-list-those-freed-death-row.
This list may not include people in the following category. A court doesn’t release them, but orders a new trial. The government knows that they are innocent, but doesn’t want to admit it, because the government would look bad for having convicted them and the government might have to pay restitution. So the government brings a new indictment and offers the defendant a plea bargain: admit your guilt and the judge will sentence you to time-served. Obviously, this is an offer that defendants can’t refuse, even if they are innocent. A criminal defense lawyer told me that this happens.
I am not against justice, once it has been established beyond a Reasonable Doubt that the person committed a rape and murder of a child. This cannot rest on mere suspect status. DNA, Video, Caught in the act or Admission so long as they are not mentally ill.
It cannot be a he said she said type of witness.
Look, you death-penalty supporters, the question isn’t whether the guy deserves to be executed. The question is whether innocent people deserve to be executed. It is impossible for the criminal justice system to be foolproof, so, if you support the death penalty, you support the execution of innocent people. I’m not saying, of course, that you like to see the execution of innocent people; I’m saying that you consider the execution of innocent people to be acceptable collateral damage.
People are making a big deal about the New Yorker article showing that Texas almost certainly executed an innocent man. But, with more than 120 innocent people having been released from death row since 1976, it is impossible that we haven’t executed numerous innocent people. There is no way that we could have caught all our mistakes; after all, once you’re convicted you’re not even entitled to a lawyer anymore.
Slickone says…”Sorry, I do have a lot of compassion for the sick and mentally ill. But, when you mes with a child, that is just wrong. Would you not agree?”
—
I agree it is wrong to mess with a child, yes, but I have also seen how our less-than-just American justice system continually botches arrests, prosecutions and incarcerations…and, in this case, executions. That makes me think twice about a knee-jerk reaction against any convicted felon. They did the crime, yes, and they are serving their sentence. Period. I don’t wish them ADDITIONAL pain and suffering in addition to their penal sentence. Why would I unless I wanted the attitude of hate to fester inside me?
Plus, in my spiritual view, each of us is a Child of God, and when someone makes a mistake — even a mortal mistake — that doesn’t change their identity as a Child of God. That may have to got prison, pay their debit to society, even die at an execution; but, to me, they will always be a Child of God. And I’m not necessarily against the death penalty. I just don’t need to hate them in addition to their imprisonment or death.
Slickone:
kill a child kill an adult you are still killing a human being. What is the difference between a 14 year old and an 18 year old? They are both just babies, even a 21 year old is still a baby in the scheme of things.
A child rapist and killer should just be put in the general population, no segregation.
Byron,
Don’t you at least think that Child Rape/Murder should be an exclusion from a life sentence? I say put them in the same cell as a person scheduled to be executed. The system would assure a just and speedy sentence.
I am with you on all of the others. But it actually takes more energy to hang someone or shoot them. Yes a bullet cost less than an injection.
sounds like the guy deserves a mulligan and should spend the rest of his life in prison. I used to be pro-death penalty but being the greedy capitalist that I am, it appears to cost much less to keep them alive than to kill them what with the cost of appeals. I would think life in prison would not be peaches and cream but a pretty lousy existence.
It is also rather cruel and unusual to be in a constant state of dread as to when the final appeal is exhausted and the needle is coming.
Personally I think if you are going to have the death penalty it ought to be brutal and public such as hanging or electrocution. Does 2 things:
1. it shows that doing crime can be costly.
2. it shows people that they need to be very certain before sending someone to a death sentence. If the state is going to kill someone let everyone know how bad it is. I think if enough people see a real execution we might have fewer death sentences.
George,
I am not heartless. I don’t think for a minute that a person convicted of rape or child abuse deserves to live. Sorry, I do have a lot of compassion for the sick and mentally ill. But, when you mes with a child, that is just wrong. Would you not agree?
Just flush him down the toilet! Let’s save the tax dollars!
Some of you people are heartless and inhuman. I wouldn’t trust you with my kids or my dog for one second. There is evil in your hearts! And whatever God you pray to is a crazy moron too.
Perhaps he is morphing back into the machine state that preceded the organic realms. Will they consider keeping him around in the interests of science perhaps?
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/09/putting-face-on-machine-mutation-2.html
“Broom was convicted of raping and fatally stabbing a 14-year-old girl in East Cleveland, Ohio, in 1984.”
**********************
Just send him to Wisconsin, a Broom/Mop Handle worked well for Dalhmer. This is clearly a waste of taxpayer dollars. He had a trial, appeals and now awaits execution. Seems like a lot of money to spend on somebody that could have been taken care of by a lifer.
Hanging works fine. Who came up with lethal injections? Dr.Mengele?