Wheeling & Dealing & Capital Punishment
I read today that Virginia will probably be executing an inmate in the very near future using an uncontrolled substance. An Anesthesiology Professor at Harvard recently claimed that, so far, criminals subjected to this drug have suffered greatly.
The Danish man behind this chemical called Pentobarbital is asking for signed releases of those acquiring the drug, swearing that they will not sell or distribute the drug. In essence, this scientist is trying to stop the use of the drug in executions.
This Danish scientist is worried, and risking his reputation, nay his own conscious or moral backbone on this- urging America to halt the use of this risky substance.
I am not commenting on the guilt or innocence of this man set to meet his fate. But if we are justifying this practice by saying it is constitutional by way that it is not cruel and unusual, why would we go forward if we do not know the effects?
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More or less, as a nation, why do we wheel and deal our ways out of holding executions to the light of day? If they can push the execution through the pipeline before anyone complains, no harm no foul. Over and over again, in the world of capital punishment, the end justifies all the (sometimes or mostly) nasty means.
The old adage goes that its better to ask forgiveness than ask permission. I just assumed this did not apply to the taking of lives.
