Killing a partially-delivered infant? A-OK. Killing someone caught raping and murdering a child? No no no. Whatever gets you through the day, I guess.

Well, I would like to know what happened, other than maybe bumping his head, that made him suddenly come to this conclusion.

Here is pretty thorough breakdown of the process of lethal injection, and what is involved. This process of ending someone's life for any heinous crime inflicted on the prisoner's victim(s) seems pretty civil compared to what they did to get there. If due process is what Justice Stevens is concerned about, he needs to cough up specific examples or call it a day.

Stevens is a genius with a capital J. How dare you question his wisdom derived from navel gazing.

But this back-door scheming and legal wrangling and judicial rewriting of the Constitution to fit their agendas is thoroughly disgusting.

It's called fascism. It's a defining characteristic of the contemporary American Left Wing.

Shouldn't that be "Jay T. Coyote, Super Genious"?

Lethal injection is, from what we understand, is pretty painless. It's a blend of drugs that render the person unconscious, then stop their heart and breathing. But there's no absolute guarantee that they don't feel any pain, and that's enough to get a lot of people to want to end that as well.

We've had a scientifically provable means of pain free execution for decades, but to my knowledge, it's no longer used in the U.S. It's the firing squad using a head shot rather than a heart shot.

Nerve impulses travel at around 300 f/s, but the bullet from a suitable rifle travels at more than 2,500 f/s. The brain itself doesn't perceive pain, so a head shot destroys the brain before the nerve impulses from the bullet's penetration can reach the brain. By the time those impulses arrive at their destination there's no functioning brain left to perceive them, and thus, the method is pain free.

So why don't we use this method? Well, it's not pain free for society. It's kind of messy and extremely violent. It tweaks the sensibilities of society much more than just putting down a condemned prisoner like the vet put down your loved pet at the end of it's health span.

Those who oppose the death penalty should apply pressure on state lawmakers to authorize only those methods that are scientifically provable to be pain free forms of executions. The pain of inserting the needles into a person's body would disqualify Lethal injection. Why would opponents to the death penalty do this? Because this messy and extremely violent method will attract many others to your side of the issue.

Those who support the death penalty should also put pressure on state lawmakers to make the firing squad the only means of execution. If you really believe in the deterrent value of capital punishment, this messy and extremely violent method will surly enhance that deterrence.

The firing squad is a win, win, win idea. Opponents win more support, law and order types win with more deterrence, and condemned prisoners win by getting a truly pain free exit from this life. What's not to like?

They need a painless lethal injection? How's about the same one that the vet uses to put down sick animals? Hey, how's about a morphine overdose? Heck, go to the evidence room and get some uncut heroin. The guy will be dead before you get the needle out of his arm, and he damn sure won't be feeling anything painful, will he?

What prevents all forms of lethal injection from being pain free is the pain of the initial injection regardless of what's in the injection. Lets use the only proven pain free method.

It has always astonished me that a document written in black and white can be read in so many shades of grey.

I agree 100% - if the death penalty is to be abolished, it should be done by legislation, not fiat. In Illinois, the last two governors (the one who's in jail and the one who is still free) have effectively abolished the death penalty by, in the first instance, commuting the sentences of everyone on death row, and, in the second instance, by ordering an indefinite moratorium on death sentences. Neither governor, by the way, made abolishing the death penalty a campaign platform issue; they just sprung their anti-capital punishment ideas on the electorate after they were in office.

Wonder what Jack Murtha's take on this is. I mean if John McCain is too old at 72(?)to be making decisions, isn't the good justice too old at 88?

I don't care if he's my grandpa or your grandpa, at 88 years old he's not wrapped too tight and only mouths what someone tells him to mouth. Ask him the same question tomorrow and get a different answer. That's not an insult but just a result of age. Too bad people in such high postitons don't have the 'brains' left to quit.

jpm100 (#5):

You beat me to it! ;-)

If the anti-death penalty advocates achieve their goal, how long till they decide that life-in-prison is cruel and unusual punishment?

Those who oppose the death penalty ignore it's attendant consequence: justice abandoned.

In addition, the Fifth Amendment was adopted at the same time as the Eighth Amendment, so the argumant that the later one cancels out the earlier one cannot be used here.

The military uses high altitude chambers to train crews for high altitude flight. When the air is pumped out you may or may not feel tingling in your fingers, but you just lose consciousness. Do it long enough and you are dead. No pain. no mess. You could even have a soft lounger with the guest-of-honor's favorite music playing.

cruel and unusual != pain free

'nough said.

It's the transition to the rarified air that may be painful. In all forms of execution it's the transition that may be painful. Freezing to death isn't painful, but the initial stages where the body is trying to stay warm are quite unpleasant. A high velocity bullet through the brain gets around that problem because the brain is destroyed before the nerve impulses from the bullet's penetration can reach it. Besides, bullets are cheap and plentiful.

cruel and unusual != pain free

That's true, but so is the opposite. Pain free !=cruel and unusual. Thus, no going to the courts with that claim. What, you think shooting is too good for them, or are you just squeamish about the mess?

"xcessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

To liberals withholding Jello treats counts as "CRUEL and UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT"!!!

"But this back-door scheming and legal wrangling and judicial rewriting of the Constitution to fit their agendas is thoroughly disgusting."

Of course it is, but this is the only way liberalism can be implemented.
Normal average Americans would NEVER go for a liberal stance on ANY issue, once it was CLEARLY explained.

Jay Tea,

Ever consider law school?

With all due respect, Main Page Editor Most High, we really must set the bar for "Super Genius" just a tad bit higher than "smarter than Mr. Justice Stevens," whose principal intellectual achievement in his tenure on the Court has been fogging the mirror they stick in front of him before they let him vote.

Otherwise, the title is utterly devoid of meaning - it would be like saying, "more truthful than Barack Obama."

Mr. Addison.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Your education is sadly, sadly lacking.

As not one but TWO commenters pointed out, the title was a reference to the classic "Road Runner" cartoons -- more specifically, the Wile E. Coyote and his calling cards. The cards proclaimed his lofty intellect, but the repeated abject failure showed that mere intelligence is not a survival trait -- an observation that I have lived my whole life demonstrating.

Must you so flagrantly demonstrate your ignorance and woefully deprived upbringing, sir?

J.