THE BIGGEST LOSER

It took 16 minutes for Ohio death-row inmate Christopher Newton to die during his execution last month. The average time is around seven minutes.


The execution team stuck the prisoner, who insisted on the death penalty as punishment for killing a cellmate, at least 10 times with needles to get the shunts used to administer the lethal chemicals in place. Newton continued to talk, smile and laugh with the prison staff, and at one point was even given a bathroom break.


At 265 pounds, Newton's obesity explained the difficulty in accessing his veins, but was the dosage modified for his weight? Also, the lengthy time that passed before Newton succumbed suggests that the chemicals may not have been flowing properly.

Maybe we should make sure death-row inmates are healthy enough to be killed before we kill them.

KILLING THE DEATH PENALTY

New Jersey might become the first state to abolish the death penalty since capital punishment was reinstated 31 years ago.

A special commission appointed by the Legislature a couple of years ago analyzed the benefits of the move. The panel determined that the death penalty costs taxpayers more than paying to incarcerate prisoners for life (probably because New Jersey hasn't executed anyone since 1963).

It also concluded that the death penalty doesn't deter people from committing murders (I beg to differ).

This commission must have its head up its study. And, I wonder just how much it cost taxpayers.