Nebraska court bans the electric chair

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: CNN

By Bill Mears
CNN Washington Bureau

(CNN) -- A child killer received a reprieve Friday from the Nebraska Supreme Court, which ruled that electrocution, the state's only means of capital punishment, is unconstitutional.

Death penalty experts said the ruling is likely to put an end to a form of execution rarely used in the United States in recent years.

Lethal injection is administered in 35 of the 36 states that execute condemned prisoners, with Nebraska the sole exception.

"It is the hallmark of a civilized society that we punish cruelty without practicing it," said the ruling from the seven-justice majority. "The evidence shows that electrocution inflicts intense pain and agonizing suffering. Therefore, electrocution as a method of execution is cruel and unusual punishment."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/02/08/nebraska.electrocution/index.html

[rockymountaindem]

1. Good

Regardless of one's opinion on the death penalty, I hope we can all agree that the electric chair is a barbaric device.

[MarkInLA]

2. Two thumbs up! The government needs to get out of the "killing industry" entirely (n/t)

[fascisthunter]

3. Good...... Now Get Rid of the Death Penalty

It's a stupid form of justice that is expensive and immoral.