Many countries still practice capital punishment, and the use of lethal injection is regarded by many as the most humane and less traumatic than other forms of capital punishment. These include hanging, electric chair, gas chamber, beheading or firing squad.
The USA saw its one-thousandth execution by lethal injection in July, 2009 with the execution of Marvallous Keene, a convicted serial killer
Lethal injection may be regarded as the most modern method of execution available to the State, but it is far from a modern invention. Death by lethal injection was first proposed by a New York doctor by the name of Julius Mount Bleyer in 1888. It was also considered by the British Royal Commission on Capital Punishment (1945-53) when asked to review Capital Punishment and the methods available. However this was eventually rejected following pressure by the British Medial Association, who regarded that the doctors needed to insert and position the needles used to administer the injections would be in breach of their Hippocratic Oath.
The process of execution by lethal injection is designed to induce unconsciousness followed by death, usually in three stages, which are as follows:
- The administering of an anaesthesia agent to ensure the convict is rendered unconscious. In the USA, the anaesthetic administered is Sodium Thiopental or Pentothal. The drug, which is a barbiturate if used intravenously, induces a state of general anaesthesia very quickly.
- A muscle relaxant, such as Pancuronium Bromide or Pavula is administered. This brings on paralysis of the diaphragm and respiratory muscles. And, if the offender where left at this stage with no further intervention they would die by asphyxiation.
- The third drug to be administered is Potassium Chloride which stops the heart causing death by cardiac arrest. (This stage is not administered in all States of the US). A heart monitor which is attatched to the offender indicates when death has occurred
In between the administration of each drug the line and needle is flushed with saline solution. This prevents the drugs mixing and clogging the needle thus botching the execution, which could result in a stay of execution or possible clemency if an appeal successfully argued that the sentence had been carried out.
All the drugs used in the USA for execution purposes are legitimate medial drugs available for use within the medical profession.
The last execution by hanging took place in Great Britain in 1964 prior to it being removed from the statute books as a sentence for murder in 1969, (1973 in Northern Ireland), although it remained on the statute books until 1998 for certain crimes which were:
- Causing a fire or explosion in a navel dockyard, ship magazine or warehouse (removed from statute books in 1971)
- Espionage (1981)
- Piracy with violence (1998)
- Treason (1998)
- Certain purely military offences under the jurisdiction of the armed forces, such as mutiny. Prior to its complete abolition in 1998, it was available for six offences: 1) serious misconduct in action, 2) assisting the enemy, 3) obstructing operations, 4) giving false air signals, 5)mutiny or incitement to mutiny, and 6) failure to suppress a mutiny with intent to assist the enemy
Sources:
- Daily Telegraph on line
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Capitalpunishment.org
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