Prison Medical Staff Assist in Execution, and Couldn't Find a Vein

Executions were on hold in the USA for 7 months while The Supreme Court ruled if lethal injection was cruel and unusual. The ruling came back 7-2 that lethal injection was not cruel and unusual, and several states began to hand out execution dates.

Among the issues they were ruling on were if the inmate laid awake and conscious unable to speak out or show pain, while the drugs flowed through his veins causing excruciating pain, and also that the execution staff was untrained and not medically trained. Those of the medical profession have taken an oath to preserve life, and participating in executions went against the code of ethics. Untrained prison staff could botch an execution causing much pain and distress.

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008 the state of Georgia executed Curtis Osborne 37, the second inmate since executions resumed. As reported by The Atlanta Journal- Constitution, prison medical staff delayed the execution while trying to find "acceptable veins." The delay was reported to have been significant.

The fact that there was a delay raises questions again as to whether lethal injection is cruel and unusual, and the fact that prison medical staff assisted in the execution also raises questions about medical ethics.

Osborne was convicted and sentenced to die for a double murder in 1990.

Source:

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/06/05/execution.html?cxntlid=inform_sr

Associated Content
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/719771/supreme_court_gives_the_ok_to_proceed.html?cat=17