By now you’ve no doubt heard about the botched December execution of Angel Diaz, a man sentenced to die for the 1979 murder of a strip club manager. Then-Gov. Jeb Bush issued a moratorium on executions after the 34-minute debacle in which 14 syringes had to be emptied into both of Diaz’ arms — filling his tissues with foot-long pockets of chemicals (due to misplaced IV inserts).
Despite this, state lethal injection commission member (and head of bioterror and disaster training for USF’s nursing school) Steve Morris says it’s impossible to know if Diaz felt any pain and that the executioner had no medical training whatsoever is no big deal.
Yeah, and his half-hour of gruesome writhing was him simply trying to see the clock, right?
Regardless of your feelings on the death penalty, it serves the public for executions to be carried out quickly and with decorum. The Florida Department of Corrections has consistently been deceptive about what happened on that day, from the ludicrous “clock” argument to the “it took longer than usual because of his liver disease” explanation that anyone who took high school anatomy class knows is baloney.
“I have no training and no qualifications,” the executioner said to the commission Friday, through a speaker phone and with his voice disguised to hide his identity (while wearing, I presume, one of those black masks).
The commission wants medical professionals involved in the execution process from now on. The American Medical Association forbids physicians from taking part in executions (do no harm, etc). What’s the solution? Were we better off with Ol’ Sparky?
Jason
3 years ago
I always thought if I had to be executed (why I automatically assume I will do something to warrant that I don’t know but…) I would prefer firing squad.
Or a bomb.
Or a guillotine, thinking of the poor guy that has to pick up my huge melon makes me smile.
wayne
3 years ago
We’re better off abolishing the death penalty altogether.
dcdave
3 years ago
The death penalty is barbaric and unfitting for a democracy such as ours. Just take a look at this map to see what other countries belong to our “club”. We’re on a list with such illustrious companions as China, Mongolia, Iran, Egypt and Sudan to name a few. The decision to end a life should never be left up to man. Life without parole, life with hard labor, these are the sentences we should be handing out to our most egregious offenders. The death penalty amounts to a revenge killing, and is therefor antithetical to our idea of justice.
Rachel*
3 years ago
Despite the fact that the death penalty is pretty f*cked up, you can be a biochemist without being a medical professional.
voxpopuli
3 years ago
There shouldn’t be a death penalty. In fact, no man should set himself up to judge another man.
I like Tim’s writing style. This piece made me laugh a few times.
DcDave is right. It is completely barbaric. Just like the illegal war in Iraq and wherever else we attack while I sleep tonight.
tim
3 years ago
Look, I agree that the death penalty is an abomination. I also happen to believe that as long as the majority of people who are breeding are the redneckians, it’s going to be around for while.
I guess, to me, this post isn’t so much about “should the executioner be a medical professional” and more about “the department of corrections is full of bs.” Certainly a person with more medical experience would know immediately that a syringe was being emptied into arm muscle.
BTW, does anyone know yet if the guy really does wear one of those black masks? Being that kind of executioner seems so much more… personal than the electric chair kind.
kate
3 years ago
I support the death penalty and, obviously, believe we must improve the process so that it can continue.
voxpopuli
3 years ago
Well … I have a hard time putting decorum and death together on a plate and serving it up but upon a careful re-read of your post, I realized I more replied to the replies than the piece.
Any heroin-addict would do. Any coke geezer. Those guys can hit a vein any day — no misses —
no need for a med. prof. I’m sure there are lifers who are geezers.
They’d do anything for a slice of pizza, probably.
Lee
3 years ago
I absolutely oppose the death penalty and find it humorous (and sad) that quite a few people I’ve met in Tampa can argue for both abolishing abortion and keeping capital punishment.
Maureen
3 years ago
I am with Dave and the crew. I can’t believe we still do it. It is terrible to think of someone with no training carrying out this procedure and I think it says a lot that no physicians will do it.
ella
3 years ago
“it says a lot that no physician will do it”….it’s they CAN’T do it. Physicians take an oath to protect lives and participating in this procedure is a violation of the oath.