California finally got around to executing its oldest inmate. A not-so-savory guy, who ordered a "hit" on a teenage girl. But he was in prison for so long that he developed all kinds of health issues while there...and he was executed last night. Which is really not a story, as executions have become so commonplace, it takes something noteworthy for them to get any wide-spread media attention. Something like this:
Having suffered a heart attack in September, Allen had asked prison authorities to let him die if he went into cardiac arrest before his execution, a request prison officials said they would not honor.
"We would resuscitate him," said prison spokesman Vernell Crittendon, then execute him.
Because in the end, it's not about deterrence, it's all about retribution. No matter what the death penalty apologists say, revenge is the motive for this, that and the power it gives politicians to be "tough on crime".
Resuscitate to Execute. Because anything less than a full pound of flesh is cheating.
posted by Jo Fish on 01.18.06 at 06:12 PM
Comments:
The "Culture of Life" strikes again. Only the State has the right to kill, and it is important to impress that fact upon the peasantry at all times.
Why do I get the creepy feeling that Arnold is trying to tell us something? It doesn't matter if you're a teenager, if you're old, if you're retarded, if you've 'repented'--and these are the ones who had a trial.
posted by: Nina on 01.18.06 at 11:22 PM [permalink]
Old Testament VENGENCE, that's all it is. Peasants can -- and do -- rise up and impale heads on flagpoles.
Worse yet, I believe the prison medicos actually did resuscitate him at one time.
posted by: Dr.BDH on 01.19.06 at 04:44 PM [permalink]
Yeah, the little factoid that the guy nearly died in September from cardiac arrest set me off; if I was a California taxpayer, I'd be flaming the Gropenator about wasting the money to keep this guy alive, in prison, just so the state could inject him with lethal chemicals. What a waste of taxpayer money!
posted by: smaug on 01.19.06 at 06:00 PM [permalink]
As Jo said, it's all about revenge, baby! The guy was an asshat regardless, but to violate his right to deny medical care is ridiculous. I wonder if his family will be filing a lawsuit about that? Then again, I'm sure someone will interpret the law to state something to the effect of "Once in prison you forfeit certain rights and the right to personally deny medical treatment is one of the rights forfeited."
