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[Piecake]

The state of Arkansas plans to put to death eight inmates over a span of 10 days next month, a pace of executions unequaled in recent American history and brought about by a looming expiration date for a drug used by the state for lethal injections.

The eight men facing execution — four black and four white — are among 34 death row inmates in Arkansas, where capital punishment has been suspended since 2005 over legal challenges and difficulty in acquiring the drugs for lethal injections.

All eight men were convicted of murders that occurred between 1989 and 1999, and proponents of the death penalty and victims’ rights in the state have been frustrated that the cases have dragged on so long.

In a statement on Friday, Mr. Hutchinson said that it was necessary to schedule the executions close together because of doubts about the future availability of one of three drugs the state uses in its lethal-injection procedure. State officials have previously said that the expiration date would pass in April for Arkansas’s supply of midazolam, a drug that has been used in several botched and gruesome lethal injections in other states in recent years.

Amid the controversy generated by such cases, a number of pharmaceutical companies have restricted their drugs from use for capital punishment. Some states have had difficultly finding midazolam. Arizona announced last year it would stop using it in part because of the logistical challenges.

In Arkansas, Mr. Hutchinson has earned a reputation as a relative moderate, serving in some cases as a break on the hard-right ambitions of the Republican-controlled legislature. But he has also been determined to reactivate the death penalty.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/us/arkansas-death-penalty-drug.html

 

[Transhuman]

Death leaves no beautiful corpses. It always seemed weird to me that anyone would consider a barbiturate, paralytic, then potassium injection somehow more moral than murder by any other means. And they still manage to botch lethal injections all the time.

 

[LakeEarth]

All because the drugs are going to expire?

 

[BassForever]

One of these crimes was done the year I was born, imagine sitting in a jail cell for 27 years waiting to die. =/

 

[Darth Karja]

One of these crimes was done the year I was born, imagine sitting in a jail cell for 27 years waiting to die. =/

After this long they should just let them live.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Death leaves no beautiful corpses. It always seemed weird to me that anyone would consider a barbiturate, paralytic, then potassium injection somehow more moral than murder by any other means. And they still manage to botch lethal injections all the time.

Yep. I'm against the death penalty from the standpoint of "can't unring that bell" in cases of erroneous convictions more than anything else, but the whole idea of there being a "better" way of executing someone has always seemed weird to me. What makes lethal injection better than a bullet to the head or hanging? I think it's much more about assuaging the guilt of the people responsible for the execution than the actual person executed, though.

Seems like the death penalty is going to disappear slowly just because of these economic factors, though.

 

[Lord Frieza]

Of course they are. Christ, what is up with this State

 

[kame-sennin]

The state of Arkansas plans to put to death eight inmates over a span of 10 days next month, a pace of executions unequaled in recent American history and brought about by a looming expiration date for a drug used by the state for lethal injections.

The eight men facing execution — four black and four white — are among 34 death row inmates in Arkansas, where capital punishment has been suspended since 2005 over legal challenges and difficulty in acquiring the drugs for lethal injections.

All eight men were convicted of murders that occurred between 1989 and 1999, and proponents of the death penalty and victims' rights in the state have been frustrated that the cases have dragged on so long.

At a news conference this week, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican and former federal prosecutor, seemed to regret that the executions were so closely stacked.

”I would love to have those extended over a period of multiple months and years, but that's not the circumstances that I find myself in," said Mr. Hutchinson, who took office in 2015. ”And, again, the families of the victims that have endured this for so many years deserve a conclusion to it."

In a statement on Friday, Mr. Hutchinson said that it was necessary to schedule the executions close together because of doubts about the future availability of one of three drugs the state uses in its lethal-injection procedure. State officials have previously said that the expiration date would pass in April for Arkansas's supply of midazolam, a drug that has been used in several botched and gruesome lethal injections in other states in recent years.

Amid the controversy generated by such cases, a number of pharmaceutical companies have restricted their drugs from use for capital punishment. Some states have had difficultly finding midazolam. Arizona announced last year it would stop using it in part because of the logistical challenges.

This week, the governor signed proclamations setting four execution dates for the eight inmates between April 17 and 27. Two men would be put to death on each of the four dates. If Arkansas follows that timetable, it will be at a rate unmatched by any state since the United States resumed the death penalty in 1977, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit research group that opposes capital punishment.

In 1997, Texas came close, putting eight inmates to death in May and again in June, but not over such a short number of days, the group said.

Critics of midazolam's use in executions say it is a sedative, not an anesthetic, and is thus misapplied as a first round of lethal injection shots, with inmates sometimes able to feel pain from the subsequent lethal drugs that are administered. In one high-profile case in Oklahoma, a convict named Clayton D. Lockett, who was administered midazolam, died 43 minutes after the injections were started and appeared to struggle and moan.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/us/arkansas-death-penalty-drug.html

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Abhorrent and disgusting.

 

[ShyMel]

Oh wow at the story at the end. Can you imagine the pain amd such for 43 minutes.

 

[Dishwalla]

The bloodlust is real. Disgusting.

 

[Chmpocalypse]

The bloodlust is real. Disgusting.

That we even have the DP shows this.

 

[SpaceCadetKeon]

I called Asa Hutchinson's office about this a few days ago. If this isn't inhumane, I don't know what is.

 

[elrechazado]

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1349812

 

[Hale-XF11]

I called Asa Hutchinson's office about this a few days ago. If this isn't inhumane, I don't know what is.

That guy is one of the most evil people on this planet.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Half of them are black. What a surprise.

 

[Switch Back 9]

Half of them are black. What a surprise.

Honestly I was surprised it was only half.

 

[kittoo]

Fucking disgusting.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Should have been dead a long time ago. It's sad that cases where guilt is 100% undeniable you can still sit appealing for over 20 years. Who gives a fuck what a bunch of murders might feel when they die. One of those guys beat a woman to death with a tire iron. Another killed a teenager, escaped from prison, killed a man just to take his truck, and then killed someone else in an ensuing police chase. I doubt any of them have a shit about how their victims felt when they were being fucking murdered, lol.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Should have been dead a long time ago. It's sad that cases where guilt is 100% undeniable you can still sit appealing for over 20 years. Who gives a fuck what a bunch of murders might feel when they die. One of those guys beat a woman to death with a tire iron. Another killed a teenager, escaped from prison, killed a man just to take his truck, and then killed someone else in an ensuing police chase. I doubt any of them have a shit about how their victims felt when they were being fucking murdered, lol.

Because cases where guilt is "100% undeniable" are few and far between, and things like precedence matter. You give a potentially innocent person the right to appeal, you have to afford that right to everybody. Considering how inherently and systemically racist and prejudiced the broken ass justice system is in this country, I'd rather err on the side of caution. But simple people have bloodlust so fuck all of that, I guess.

 

[LostCaress]

I use midazolam daily as a sedative (for dogs), I wouldn't use it for euthanasia :|

 

[Beerman462]

Not only are they rushing to kill these guys before this drug expires, it's linked to botched injections and seemingly won't be available in the future probably for that very reason. wtf

Half of them are black. What a surprise.

Weird sentiment. I mean if they were all black it would make sense as in of course they rush to kill 8 black men, but it's half and half.

I use midazolam daily as a sedative (for dogs), I wouldn't use it for euthanasia :|

It's the first round drug before the lethal drug. They say in the article that it's should be an anesthetic, because some inmates have felt the pain still.

 

[kadotsu]

Weird sentiment. I mean if they were all black it would make sense as in of course they rush to kill 8 black men, but it's half and half.

And that is why teaching percentages and the meaning of demographics is important. High School has failed you.

 

[Little Green Yoda]

I use midazolam daily as a sedative (for dogs), I wouldn't use it for euthanasia :|

I was about to ask when the government would start using drugs for animals to get around the scarcity but I guess they're already doing that.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Not only are they rushing to kill these guys before this drug expires, it's linked to botched injections and seemingly won't be available in the future probably for that very reason. wtf

Weird sentiment. I mean if they were all black it would make sense as in of course they rush to kill 8 black men, but it's half and half.

Only 11% of americans are black IIRC, 15% in arkansas specifically.

They don't get drugs for lethal injections anymore because Pfizer, and many other major suppliers, stopped selling them to the US for the purpose of killing.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Weird sentiment. I mean if they were all black it would make sense as in of course they rush to kill 8 black men, but it's half and half.

.

Blacks make up 15% of the state population yet 42% of the prison population in Arkansas, and 50% of this group of 8 that the state is in a rush to kill because idiots think the death penalty solves something.

 

[DrForester]

What the hell did Gabe do to get the death penalty?

 

[LostCaress]

It's the first round drug before the lethal drug. They say in the article that it's should be an anesthetic, because some inmates have felt the pain still.

I should pay more attention to what I read, sorry.

I was about to ask when the government would start using drugs for animals to get around the scarcity but I guess they're already doing that.

Most sedation/anesthesia drugs are not specific for animals, we use what is used in human medicine.

 

[Complistic]

What the hell did Gabe do to get the death penalty?

He's actually been playing half life 3 this entire time himself.

 

[Beerman462]

And that is why teaching percentages and the meaning of demographics is important. High School has failed you.

Stay classy

Only 11% of americans are black IIRC, 15% in arkansas specifically.

They don't get drugs for lethal injections anymore because Pfizer, and many other major suppliers, stopped selling them to the US for the purpose of killing.

I know the percentages were low. I hadn't looked specifically at the percentage in Arkansas.

Blacks make up 15% of the state population yet 42% of the prison population in Arkansas, and 50% of this group of 8 that the state is in a rush to kill because idiots think the death penalty solves something.

Honestly I was like the other poster and was thinking it would be worse.

What the hell did Gabe do to get the death penalty?

Man he does look a bit like Gabe.

 

[gabbo]

Not only are they rushing to kill these guys before this drug expires, it's linked to botched injections and seemingly won't be available in the future probably for that very reason. wtf
It's the first round drug before the lethal drug. They say in the article that it's should be an anesthetic, because some inmates have felt the pain still.

I think you misread that and the drug is being MISUSED as an anesthetic when it should not be, as it's not working correctly when administered to the inmates during the procedure. Unless I too misunderstood what it was saying

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Because cases where guilt is "100% undeniable" are few and far between, and things like precedence matter. You give a potentially innocent person the right to appeal, you have to afford that right to everybody. Considering how inherently and systemically racist and prejudiced the broken ass justice system is in this country, I'd rather err on the side of caution. But simple people have bloodlust so fuck all of that, I guess.

I do t think it's bloodlust to not want murderers to be able to spend over 20 years filing away appeals. Bloodlust would be like wanting the judge to allow the jury to read the verdict and then blowing the condemned away right there

Few and far between for cases where guilt is undeniable is not accurate at all. You make it seem as if 96% of death row inmates are innocent. Don't believe everything you watch on Netflix.

Either way I don't get the outrage. Tell the guy who beat a woman who was home alone to death with a tire iron that the biggest guard in the prison is going to come into his cell and beat him to death with a tire iron, see how he likes it. There's some bloodlust for you

 

[Ninja Scooter]

There's a lot of things you don't get

 

[Pachinko]

This is awful all around but made especially so that they are using a sedative to kill people. This is the same type of drug as something like Adivan , stronger of course but it really shouldn't be integral to the lethal injection process.

I used to be all about the death penalty , not religious or anything but felt it made sense to deprive some one of something they deprived others of because I don't believe you can rehabilitate a murderer. But someone has to pull the switch and you better be damn sure a jury , judge , etc were correct when they send someone onto death row. Also, that the perpetrator of the murder was of fully sound mind when the act was commited, otherwise it doesn't really feel right. Like a relic of a past system where things were all about "justice" regardless of how barbaric the act is.

Feels like it's actually a worse punishment to commit someone to jail for most or all of their natural life for committing the act , leaving them aware of what they did the entire time that has deprived them of living a normal life.

 

[GreatestHits]

ç'mon hurry hurry we can pass the legislation

 

[Derwind]

Glossing over even 1 innocent persons life to try and validate the state sanctioned killing of the guilty is bloodlust to me.

I say give the innocent every chance at seeking to correct a possible miscarriage of justice. And never stop working to improve a naturally flawed system to reduce the number of innocent people slipping into the system.

Even if it's only one person being killed by the state only for their family to be told that their loved one was innocent after the fact is far too much.

I personally thank the heavens that I don't live in a country where that type of punishment is given out.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Should have been dead a long time ago. It's sad that cases where guilt is 100% undeniable you can still sit appealing for over 20 years. Who gives a fuck what a bunch of murders might feel when they die. One of those guys beat a woman to death with a tire iron. Another killed a teenager, escaped from prison, killed a man just to take his truck, and then killed someone else in an ensuing police chase. I doubt any of them have a shit about how their victims felt when they were being fucking murdered, lol.

I do t think it's bloodlust to not want murderers to be able to spend over 20 years filing away appeals. Bloodlust would be like wanting the judge to allow the jury to read the verdict and then blowing the condemned away right there

Few and far between for cases where guilt is undeniable is not accurate at all. You make it seem as if 96% of death row inmates are innocent. Don't believe everything you watch on Netflix.

Either way I don't get the outrage. Tell the guy who beat a woman who was home alone to death with a tire iron that the biggest guard in the prison is going to come into his cell and beat him to death with a tire iron, see how he likes it. There's some bloodlust for you

Note that no one else in the thread is laughing and smiling about any of this.

 

[Stinkles]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/us/arkansas-death-penalty-drug.html

Look at that. Only 50% of Arkansas residents are white.

 

[Straight Edge]

Look at that. Only 50% of Arkansas residents are white.

And 100% male!

 

[Stinkles]

And 100% male!

Males at least DO murder in vastly higher numbers than females.

 

[darkace]

Males at least DO murder in vastly higher numbers than females.

Socio-economic status, sex and culture are the defining factors in likelihood of committing crimes. That certain demographics are overrepresented is inevitable.

 

[Stinkles]

Socio-economic status, sex and culture are the defining factors in likelihood of committing crimes. That certain demographics are overrepresented is inevitable.

I was actually just talking about nature.

As far as RACE is concerned, it's LUDICROUS that half the death row inmates are black in a state with those demographics, and it doesn't matter how you look at it, Arkansas needs to fix its shit. And Arkansas isn't even unusual. This country needs to fix its shit. But hey, we want to reprivatize the federal prison system under Sessions. I wonder which demographic we can abuse to fill up those bunks?

 

[chillybright]

They don't have alternatives?

 

[Flai]

As far as RACE is concerned, it's LUDICROUS that half the death row inmates are black in a state with those demographics, and it doesn't matter how you look at it, Arkansas needs to fix its shit.

Males at least DO murder in vastly higher numbers than females.

In 2015, there were 67 black people arrested for murder in Arkansas compared to 39 whites. So if anything, that 50% seems low. Of course, the underlying reason why blacks commit more crimes (poverty, less education etc) should be fixed, but that's another issue.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

They don't have alternatives?

The governor or president could commute their executions, but yeah that's unlikely given the racist bloodthirst that drives the death penalty in the first place.

 

[HStallion]

I do t think it's bloodlust to not want murderers to be able to spend over 20 years filing away appeals. Bloodlust would be like wanting the judge to allow the jury to read the verdict and then blowing the condemned away right there

Few and far between for cases where guilt is undeniable is not accurate at all. You make it seem as if 96% of death row inmates are innocent. Don't believe everything you watch on Netflix.

Either way I don't get the outrage. Tell the guy who beat a woman who was home alone to death with a tire iron that the biggest guard in the prison is going to come into his cell and beat him to death with a tire iron, see how he likes it. There's some bloodlust for you

Newsweek: One in 25 Sentenced to Death in the U.S. is Innocent, Study Claims

 

[SpartanN92]

One of these crimes was done the year I was born, imagine sitting in a jail cell for 27 years waiting to die. =/

Why don't you imagine how the victims family feels instead.

 

[darkace]

I was actually just talking about nature.

As far as RACE is concerned, it's LUDICROUS that half the death row inmates are black in a state with those demographics, and it doesn't matter how you look at it, Arkansas needs to fix its shit. And Arkansas isn't even unusual. This country needs to fix its shit. But hey, we want to reprivatize the federal prison system under Sessions. I wonder which demographic we can abuse to fill up those bunks?

Black people committed around two thirds of murders in 2015 in arkansas. Theyre underrepresented compared to current crime rates.

Not sure what the rest has to do with the topic.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Note that no one else in the thread is laughing and smiling about any of this.

Note that I am smiling at the person I am replying to, not "any of this". Would you prefer petty insults as he has given me? I chose smiles instead

And yeah, I laughed at the idea of finding a humane way to kill trash who rape and torture and violently kill people. I can sleep well at night knowing there are people who disagree.

But I guess if we have different opinions we should not post so I'll leave. And to the guy above who linked a study, it says 1 in 25... so 4%. I jokingly said 96% are innocent. Funny that it's the opposite of that

 

[Ninja Scooter]

We only kill 4% of people by mistake NBD guys.