Electrocution Is Banned in Last State to Rely on It

[acmavm]

By ADAM LIPTAK
Published: February 9, 2008

<snip>

The electric chair is cruel and unusual punishment, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday. The decision effectively suspended executions there, as Nebraska is the only state that still relies solely on electrocution, which was once the dominant form of execution in the United States.


The evidence here shows that electrocution inflicts intense pain and agonizing suffering,” Justice William M. Connolly wrote for the majority in a 6-to-1 decision.

The state’s attorney general, Jon Bruning, said he would “move to the legislative process to get a new method of execution.”

Working on a clean slate, Nebraska may opt for a form of lethal injection that does not rely on the combination of three chemicals that is the subject of a pending challenge in the United States Supreme Court. It may also explore entirely different methods of execution.

<snip>

The challenge in Nebraska was brought by Raymond Mata Jr., who was convicted in 2000 of kidnapping and murdering Adam Gomez, the 3-year-old son of a former girlfriend. Mr. Mata dismembered the boy’s body, and human bone fragments were found in the stomach of Mr. Mata’s dog.

“We recognize the temptation to make the prisoner suffer, just as the prisoner made an innocent victim suffer,” Justice Connolly wrote. “But it is the hallmark of a civilized society that we punish cruelty without practicing it. Condemned prisoners must not be tortured to death, regardless of their crimes.”

-MORE-

Oh my goodness, how did I miss this???? Don't tell me that they're about ready to crack through to the 21st century here in Redneck Central!

edit: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/us/09penalty.html?th&emc=th

[Hepburn]

1. However it is carried out, the DP is just plain WRONG! n/t

[TwilightGardener]

2. Don't worry, Jon Bruning is going to try to make himself a RW star

on the issue by grandstanding on it for his Senate run. I'm sure we'll be killing people some other way, soon. :eyes:

[acmavm]

3. Oh believe me, I agree. There will be another form of execution. I'm just

amazed that these clowns are willing to consider something the doesn't consist of the cooking of the human body. I mean just face it. If the powers that be here could, they'd bring back burning at the stake. And Don Stenberg would beek Keeper of the Matches.

[TwilightGardener]

4. LOL! The more brutal, the better.