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U.S. Supreme Court Allows Lethal Injections

By Dr. Michael Blankenship

The Supreme Court upheld Kentucky's use of lethal injection executions Wednesday, likely clearing the way to resume executions that have been on hold for nearly 8 months.The justices, by a 7-2 vote, turned back a constitutional challenge to the procedures in place in Kentucky, which uses three drugs to sedate, paralyze and kill inmates. Similar methods are used by roughly three dozen states.Read more...Slip OpinionI find the majority opinion a bit surprising given the evidence of past botched executions, the lack of policy guidelines, and the lack of training. I anticipated that the Court would decree that the states and feds would have to develop new procedures and use new chemicals. I find it simply amazing that the Court would allow a human to be executed using a combination of chemicals that over 20 states ban when animals are euthanized...continue to full post

Full post as published by The Justice Gambit on April 16, 2008 (boomark / email).