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.
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.
Labels: Christopher Newton, death penalty, death row, execution, obesity, Ohio
posted by Diana at 12:17 PM
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