Can we talk about the botched execution in OK?

seahorse01 · April 2014

Here is a link: http://news.yahoo.com/oklahoma-halts-execution-inmate-dies-apparent-heart-attack-005203696.html

"Lockett died of an apparent massive heart attack about 40 minutes after the procedure started, he said." "Witness Ziva Branstetter told broadcaster MSNBC Lockett was thrashing about and appeared to be in pain. The state blocked off the scene from witnesses a few minutes after the troubles started by drawing a curtain on the execution chamber."

seahorse01 · April 2014

First, what are your thoughts on the death penalty?

Have you known somebody that was murdered and does this color your feelings?

nfp147 · April 2014

I am very much against the death penalty. But, I realize it's a reality in some places. I just wish there was a quicker, more sure way to carry it out.

I do not know anyone who has been murdered.

My biggest issue was this: The state blocked off the scene from witnesses a few minutes after the troubles started by drawing a curtain on the execution chamber.

I don't understand why there needs to be witnesses.

BackseatDriver · April 2014

I worry about the death penalty for two reasons: 1) The potential that a wrongfully convicted person might be executed and 2) I heard that when the death penalty is on the table the person is statistically less likely to be convicted. Presumably this is because jurors worry more about being wrong. I would rather a dangerous person be locked away if that is actually true.

I don't have any other objections to the death penalty. Assuming this guy was indeed guilty of the crimes for which he was convicted I don't have any sympathy for him.

ETA I don't know anyone who has been murdered.

seahorse01 · April 2014

I am against the death penalty in every instance. I just don't understand the 'eye for an eye' mentality.

My aunt was brutally murdered by her granddaughter's husband, and I hope he rots in a jail cell for forever, but don't think the state should murder him.

LooneyLife · April 2014

@nfp147 I thought it was to make sure they were being executed humanely (because they still have that right). But if they just closed the curtains, then that's not being done here. That will probably be a huge point of argument in this case.

brij2006 · April 2014

Not for the death penalty. Would rather the person have some sort of suffering or guilt for their wrongdoings.

Lynn0514 · April 2014

I am also against the death penalty, for some of the same reasons already stated. But mostly because there have been too many instances of people wrongfully convicted on serious charges, murder or otherwise. Our justice system, while one of the better ones, is still imperfect, and I don't think such a final judgment is ever going to be okay with me.

I do not know anyone who has been murdered.

I'm surprised at the responses so far. In other conversations on this subject, I've almost always been in the minority.

RockABye · April 2014

I am for the death penalty as a general rule, but I think it's on a case by case basis/no doubt who did it.

Yes, I know someone who was murdered. And yes, it does partially color my opinion. The killer received the death penalty and was executed in '09 and I am so glad.

I'm very torn on what happened with this Lockett guy and can see both sides. On one side, it's awful that he had to endure a botched execution. I mean, seriously, they couldn't get it right before injecting him? On the other hand, I seriously doubt he considered the pain of the woman he stabbed and buried alive when it was going on, so my sympathy is minimal. I have very conflicted feelings on it and I don't want to think about it right now.

BackseatDriver · April 2014

@Seahorse01 I don't view execution as an eye for an eye punishment. There isn't the intent for them to suffer and certainly not to the extent of their victims.

However, I do wish that people who have carried out horrible crimes would experience great emotional suffering. Maybe that would be a bit "eye for an eye." I wish the universe would right these injustices, but I know that doesn't always happen. I'm not religious and I don't believe in an afterlife so I probably view it a bit differently.

nfp147 · April 2014

LooneyLife said:

@nfp147 I thought it was to make sure they were being executed humanely (because they still have that right). But if they just closed the curtains, then that's not being done here. That will probably be a huge point of argument in this case.

This is a good point, by why not just have a medical examiner and someone to ensure it is being carried out humanely. I don't see the need for any more "audience".

Keep in mind that I've only seen movie executions where there is a crowd watching.

brij2006 · April 2014

I've always thought that maybe the person should have done to them what they did to others. So if they buried someone alive, then they should be buried alive.

RockABye · April 2014

@nfp147 - I always thought it was open to the victim's family. I think some people see viewing the execution as closure. I personally would never/could never want to be a witness, but some people might

cloudymeatballs · April 2014

^^ I kind of agree with what brij said.. I am not necessarily a fan of the death penalty, but when someone does something so bad to someone, makes them suffer, I do feel that they may deserve the same. I have never known anyone who had been murdered. But I also feel, that if someone murdered someone I loved and I knew who they were, they better run... And they better run fast!

RockABye · April 2014

I don't necessarily see it as "eye for an eye" but just that there are typically consequences for actions in life, good and bad. The greater the offense, the greater the consequence. I think that a family could forgive a killer but still seek the death penalty as a consequence for the actions.

OohSparkly13 · April 2014

I am for the death penalty. I also think there should be harsher punishments for those who commit sexual and/or violent crimes. I think just putting someone in jail for life or whatever amount of time they are handed is an insult to their victims and the pain that they experienced at the hands of that person.

Personally, I don't feel one bit of sympathy for Lockett and the pain he endured before dying. He shot a young woman and then buried her alive. The fact that his punishment was supposed to be him essentially dying in his sleep is the unfair part.

DangerMuffin23 · April 2014

I am not against the death penalty, though in a perfect world we would always be right about who we convict and never sentence an innocent person. I do know someone was murdered, I never found out what happened to the man who did it (undeniably). She was 17.

crystaldbl · April 2014

My father was murdered when I was 18 (12yrs ago). He was stabbed 16 times & had his throat cut from ear to ear. The man who did it was found guilty of 1st degree murder & sentenced to life in prison. I still have mixed feeling regarding the death penalty. Sometimes I think why should tax payers shell out money for someone to live a better life in prison then they ever would have on the streets. I know they do because at the mans parole hearing this past October he looked good. He is no longer addicted to drugs or alchohol. He has proper medical care. If he was on the streets he would probably be dead by now. On the other hand I think that death is the easy way out. He no longer has to think about what he did. As far as the humane death thing goes. I really don't care if he is afraid or feels the pain of death. I'm pretty sure he didn't think of those things when he killed my dad. He definitely didn't make sure my fathers death was humane.

amandaf6383 · April 2014

I am against the death penalty in all instances; I have never known someone who was murdered so I don't know what my thoughts would be if I did. I personally don't think that any human or group of humans has a right to decide on the (unwilling) death of another human.

iwalktheline · April 2014

I am anti death penalty. I don't think anyone should have the right to take someone else's life.

I have known someone who was murdered. One of my friends (not a super close friend, but someone I lived next to in my dorm and was friendly with) was mugged and stabbed the summer between my freshman and sophomore year. He was a great person and it was truly a tragedy. And I hope whoever did it pays gravely for it... But I still don't think anyone should have the right to end his life.

lilliesandvino · April 2014

I'm so sorry @crystaldbl

I an against the death penalty. I'm sure this surprises no one. My primary reason is that it rarely brings closure to families (from the admittedly anecdotal evidence I've heard about or read). But, also that our justice system sucks and it's extremely expensive to execute someone.

aggiebug · April 2014

The death penalty is a much greater financial burden than life in prison for our country and I think it is an easy escape from their burdens.

That being said this whole issue of a botched event is much more complicated than it seems. The supply of drugs needed and used for this procedure has changed and some of the better drugs are completely unavailable. So they are trying to make concoctions that will work, efficiently and as humanely as possible. The more drugs you add on the more likely you are to have issues.

BruinsBabe33 · April 2014

I cannot answer this question without bias based on the crimes he and the other one sentenced committed.

BruinsBabe33 · April 2014

I will add that I find it extremely ironic that most people who are pro life are also pro capital punishment.

amandaf6383 · April 2014

BruinsBabe33 said:

I will add that I find it extremely ironic that most people who are pro life are also pro capital punishment.

I never thought of that!

KonaCoffeeBean · April 2014

I am opposed to the death penalty in all cases.

LuckyAngel07 · May 2014

While I do believe in the death penalty under certain circumstances, I would not wish that someone's execution were botched in this way. There's going to be a lot of investigating to see what exactly happened here and how to avoid it in the future.

MH1006 · May 2014

So a rapist/murderer who buried someone alive and left her to suffer/die got a "lethal" injection that turned out not to be so lethal. He then died of a heart attack and appeared to be suffering in pain before his death. The problem with this is...? Sounds like karma.

mrsskiz · May 2014

My sons father was murdered 2 years ago over a drug deal gone bad. His murderer is serving 4 years and on probation for life. 4 years! He was already in an alternative school for behavior issues but had no criminal history. The judge said because he was 2 IQ points away from being mentally handicapped he "didnt really understand what he was doing" Really? What the judge was really saying is that this poor kid was a scape goat for the bigger drug dealer that they are waiting to screw up so they can get him on drug charges instead of extending the investigation to prove the big dealer was holding the knife.

If you commit a crime you deserve to pay for that crime. If you are sentenced to death, then so be it. If you suffer during that death, sorry bout your luck. You made the choice to take someone elses life. At that point you have already lived in rison being taken care of for at least 10+ years. Your crime was obviously bad enough to warrent multiple people agreeing with your death.

That being said I am also pro-life. you make a choice when you kill someone. A fetus doesnt make that choice to be conceived.

tdmd09 · May 2014

I have mixed feelings about the death penalty. I did see on the news last night that part of the issue with that particular execution was that his vein blew while receiving the drugs, so he didn't get the intended dosage. That kind of sucks, but sometimes veins blow. I don't know if maybe they didn't notice that immediately or what, but I'm sure that was a contributing factor.

We had a similar "botched execution" in Ohio a few months ago. The drugs he was given were a powerful narcotic (dilaudid) and a sedative/benzo (versed). The concern was he appeared to be gasping for breath before he died, so therefore it wasn't humane. Since he wasn't given a paralytic, this would be a normal reaction to someone going into respiratory arrest. But he was sedated and on lots of happy drugs, so he probably didn't care that he wasn't breathing and I don't personally feel like he suffered.

NotMrsSmith11 · May 2014

I am against the death penalty, for lots of reasons. It is exponentially more expensive than a life sentence, it provides mixed results in terms of closure and relief for victims' families, it is administered unfairly and with prejudice, and it does not deter crimes.

Can we talk about the botched execution in OK?

Re: Can we talk about the botched execution in OK?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards