Spencer 1

Hunter Spencer
Mr. Bundy
Cyber English 12
February 20, 2014
Death enalty! " Failure t# Succeed
" $an na$ed %e#rge &.&. Martin #nce said, '(he $an )h# passes the sentence sh#uld
s)ing the s)#rd.* He )as re+erring t# the Death penalty, #r the state sancti#ned ,illing #+
c#n-icted $urderers. .n ennsyl-ania, three pe#ple ha-e been ,illed, )hile +#ur pe#ple )ere
sentenced t# death in the n#rtheastern states s# +ar. (hat nu$ber see$s s$all, inc#nse/uential
e-en, until #ne l##,s at the t#tal nu$ber. 1,012 $en and )#$en ha-e been ,illed since 1321
4Dieter5 in the 6nited States. 7nce the day #+ e8ecuti#n arri-es, the pris#ner g#es thr#ugh )hat
$any c#nsider t# be a brutal and ag#ni9ing death, in the best cases. (he death penalty is clearly
an unethical +ailure #+ hu$anity and a barbaric ritual that $ust be re$#-ed +r#$ hu$an cri$inal
syste$s per$anently.
:hen a pers#n c#nsiders hu$an rights, certain things are br#ught t# $ind. First, #ne $ay
thin, #+ necessities li,e +##d, )ater, shelter and cl#thing. (hen, perhaps hu$an rights $ay be
branched #ut int# c#nsidering li-ing c#nditi#ns, educati#nal rights and +air treat$ent bet)een
races and genders. Finally, #ne $ight c#nsider h#) a g#-ern$ent treats its pe#ple )hen
c#nsidering hu$an rights. ;#) that last th#ught, how a government treats its people, is ,ey. .n
the 6nited States #+ "$erica, there e8ists a Bill 7+ &ights, the +irst ten a$end$ents t# the
c#nstituti#n that lists di++erent inalienable rights p#ssessed by the "$erican pe#ple, li,e +reed#$
Spencer 2
#+ speech, the right t# bear ar$s, et cetera. .t )as created t# pr#tect the "$erican pe#ple +r#$
the g#-ern$ent. 7+ the +irst ten a$end$ents, the eighth is #+ particular i$p#rtance. (he eighth
a$end$ent t# the c#nstituti#n states in part, 'E8cessi-e bail shall n#t be re/uired, n#r e8cessi-e
+ines i$p#sed, n#r cruel and unusual punish$ent in+licted.* :hat is cruel and unusual
punish$ent< :ell, let us +irst l##, at )hat di++erent punish$ents #ccur )hile #n death r#), and
speci+ically )hile being e8ecuted. During lethal in=ecti#n, a c#$$#n +#r$ #+ e8ecuti#n, patients
g# thr#ugh a +#ur>step pr#cess. '(he pris#ner is b#und t# a gurney? t)# needles are inserted int#
the pris#ner@s -eins and a saline s#luti#n is in=ected. entr#barbital, an anesthetic, is in=ected t#
put the pris#ner t# sleep. a-ul#n, #r pancur#niu$ br#$ide, is released, inducing paralysis and
st#pping breathing. Finally, the +l#) #+ p#tassiu$ chl#ride st#ps the heart* 4"$nestyusa.#rg5.
(here are a +e) p#ssibilities +#r pr#ble$s. (he $i8ture #+ drugs c#uld be )r#ng, #r the d#se
c#uld be t## l#), #r the directi#n #+ +l#) c#uld be i$pr#per. (he che$icals c#uld be directed t#
tissue instead #+ a -ein, causing $assi-e pain and su++ering t# the -icti$. :hile in pain +r#$
p#tassiu$ chl#ride, the -icti$ )#n@t be able t# sh#) any -isible su++ering due t# the
pancur#niu$ br#$ide, )hich is a paralysis agent. "cc#rding t# "$nesty6S", s#$e e8ecuti#ns
ha-e lasted up t# an h#ur, )hile pris#ners gasped +#r air and )ere clearly in pain be+#re there
death. &egarding electr#cuti#n, death penalty in+# #++ers this descripti#n!
'F#r e8ecuti#n by the electric chair, the pers#n is usually sha-ed and strapped t# a
chair )ith belts that cr#ss his chest, gr#in, legs, and ar$s. " $etal s,ullcap>shaped
electr#de is attached t# the scalp and +#rehead #-er a sp#nge $#istened )ith saline. (he
sp#nge $ust n#t be t## )et #r the saline sh#rt>circuits the electric current and n#t t## dry,
as it )#uld then ha-e a -ery high resistance. "n additi#nal electr#de is $#istened )ith
c#nducti-e =elly and attached t# a p#rti#n #+ the pris#nerAs leg that has been sha-ed t#
Spencer 0
reduce resistance t# electricity. (he pris#ner is then blind+#lded. "+ter the e8ecuti#n tea$
has )ithdra)n t# the #bser-ati#n r##$, the )arden signals the e8ecuti#ner, )h# pulls a
handle t# c#nnect the p#)er supply. " =#lt #+ bet)een B00 and 2000 -#lts, )hich lasts +#r
ab#ut 00 sec#nds, is gi-en. (he current surges and is then turned #++, at )hich ti$e the
b#dy is seen t# rela8. (he d#ct#rs )ait a +e) sec#nds +#r the b#dy t# c##l d#)n and then
chec, t# see i+ the in$ateAs heart is still beating. .+ it is, an#ther =#lt is applied. (his
pr#cess c#ntinues until the pris#ner is dead. (he pris#nerAs hands #+ten grip the chair and
there $ay be -i#lent $#-e$ent #+ the li$bs )hich can result in disl#cati#n #r +ractures.
(he tissues s)ell. De+ecati#n #ccurs. Stea$ #r s$#,e rises and there is a s$ell #+
burning* 4Dieter5.
"n#ther e8ecuti#n $eth#d used in the 6nited States is the gas cha$ber. "s stated in
Death enalty .n+#.#rg@s e8ecuti#n $eth#ds secti#n, use #+ lethal gas t# e8ecute -icti$s
#riginated in an atte$pt t# ,ill %ee C#n )hile he slept. .t didn@t )#r,, s# a gas cha$ber )as
c#nstructed. (he c#nde$ned is strapped t# a chair in the gas cha$ber. .n +r#nt #+ hi$ is a buc,et
#+ sul+uric acid. S#diu$ cyanide crystals are released int# the buc,et t# create hydr#gen cyanide.
(he pris#ner is t#ld t# breathe deeply s# as t# e8pedite there death. M#st d#n@t, h#)e-er, and
instead resist by h#lding their breath. (here is e-idence #+ e8tre$e pain and strangling, as lac, #+
#8ygen t# the heart is si$ilar t# a heart attac,. "n#ther +#r$ #+ e8ecuti#n is death by a +iring
s/uad, )here the pris#ner is tied t# a chair and a )hite cl#th is placed #-er the heart. (hen a
+iring s/uad #+ ar#und +i-e pe#ple, #ne )ith a blan, r#und, are #rdered t# sh##t the )hite cl#th.
(he pris#ner )#uldn@t +eel pain i+ the heart is hit, as he )#uld g# int# sh#c, +r#$ $a=#r bl##d
l#ss /uic,ly, but s#$e pe#ple ha-e rep#rted sh#ts $issing the heart, causing a l#nger death
)hich )#uld be e8cruciatingly pain+ul. Despite h#) #ld the $eth#d is, hanging is still used +#r
Spencer 4
e8ecuti#n in the 6nited States, alth#ugh it is #+ten replaced by lethal in=ecti#n. (he nec, is $eant
t# snap )hile being hung, but #+ten su++#cati#n #ccurs instead. Clearly n#ne #+ the legal
e8ecuti#n $eth#ds are pleasant 4at least in relati#n t# death5 and all #+ the$ ha-e a pleth#ra #+
)ays t# g# )r#ng.
C#hn Hight#)er t##, 40 $inutes, &#$$el Br##$ )aited t)# h#urs. Brand#n &h#de
)aited +#r 00 $inutes. C#seph Clar,, 22 $inutes, C#se High #nly +#r 20 $inutes 4Death enalty
.n+#5. (hese pe#ple )ere $en e8ecuted -ia lethal in=ecti#n. (he ti$es ass#ciated )ith di++erent
pe#ples@ na$es )ere h#) l#ng it t##, t# +ind suitable -eins +#r each pers#n. .n &#$$el
Br##$@s case, they ga-e up a+ter t)# h#urs and p#stp#ned the e8ecuti#n all t#gether. :hy are s#
$any pe#ple )aiting s# l#ng t# die by lethal in=ecti#n< (he pr#ble$ arises due t# the pe#ple
inserting the needles re/uired +#r transp#rting drugs int# the ris#ner@s syste$. 7n the Death
enalty .n+#r$ati#n )ebsite, the auth#r #+ an article gi-es the basic reas#n 4paraphrasing +r#$
the "M" C#de #+ Medical Ethics5 )hy lethal in=ecti#n is di++icult by stating
'(he guidelines in the "M" C#de #+ Medical Ethics address physician
participati#n in e8ecuti#ns in-#l-ing lethal in=ecti#n. (he ethical #pini#n e8plicitly
pr#hibits selecting in=ecti#n sites +#r e8ecuti#ns by lethal in=ecti#n, starting intra-en#us
lines, prescribing, ad$inistering, #r super-ising the use #+ lethal drugs, $#nit#ring -ital
signs, #n site #r re$#tely, and declaring death.*
(his clearly de$#nstrates )hy s# $any e8ecuti#ns lead t# the cruel deaths #+ pris#ners.
6ntrained, un)illing and uncaring pe#ple are used t# ad$inister lethal in=ecti#n because
e-ery#ne )ith the s,ill t# pr#perly +ul+ill the needs #+ a state>sancti#n e8ecuti#n by lethal
in=ecti#n is #pp#sed t# such acts #+ needless and -ici#us -i#lence. "ls#, the ;"EM( 4;ati#nal
"ss#ciati#n #+ E$ergency Medical (echnicians5 has issued state$ents clari+ying that being
Spencer B
in-#l-ed in state sancti#ned e8ecuti#ns is 'c#ntrary t# the +unda$ental g#als and ethical
#bligati#ns #+ e$ergency $edical ser-ices* 4Death enalty .n+#5. E-en the "$erican ;urse
"ss#ciati#n released a state$ent saying '(he "$erican ;urses "ss#ciati#n 4";"5 is str#ngly
#pp#sed t# nurse participati#n in capital punish$ent. articipati#n in e8ecuti#ns, either directly
#r indirectly, is -ie)ed as c#ntrary t# the +unda$ental g#als and ethical traditi#ns #+ the nursing
pr#+essi#n.* 4Death enalty .n+#5. See$ingly e-ery pr#+essi#n )ith a pers#n e8perienced in
$edicine, and speci+ically th#se )h# ha-e ,n#)ledge that )#uld bene+it in an e8ecuti#n ha-e
been ad-ised against helping e8ecuti#ners, based ar#und a $#ral standard they are supp#sed t#
uph#ld.
:hile #n the t#pic #+ ti$e the length #+ )aiting #n death r#) and c#nditi#ns )hile
)aiting $ust be c#nsidered. Death &#) in$ates can e8pect t# )ait an a-erage #+ 12 years #n
Death &#) be+#re being e8ecuted 4Carter5. (his is due t# a lengthy pr#cess in-#l-ed in
appealing the death penalty. (h#ugh there are al)ays di++erences in cases, $#st Death &#)
in$ates in $#st states spend 20 h#urs a day in their cell al#ne, in s#litary c#n+ine$ent 4:aiting
(# Die5. (his s#litary c#n+ine$ent, acc#rding t# a public research paper cited by "lternet@s
Michael Carter, #+ten creates a speci+ic syndr#$e in-#l-ing sel+>destructi-e and psych#tic
beha-i#r. .t is understandable )hy this )#uld be the case, as 10B,120, h#urs are spent #n death
r#), #n a-erage, )hile 100,240 are, spent al#ne. (hat $eans #nly 4,0D0, h#urs are spent )ith
#ther pe#ple. 7nly 1D2.B days are spent, #-er the c#urse #+ 12 years, ar#und #ther pe#ple.
"lternet cites %rassian as clai$ing EMany in$ates in these circu$stances 4re+erring t# being #n
Death &#)5 cann#t stand it any l#nger, +ire their att#rneys, dr#p their appeals, and hence
E-#lunteerE +#r e8ecuti#n* 4Carter5. FSuicide by state@ )#uld be an apt )ay t# title the )ay the
Spencer 1
in$ates #n Death &#) gi-e up the appeals pr#cess, lea-ing the$sel-es at the cruel $ercy #+ the
state e8ecuti#ners.
.t has been clearly de$#nstrated that, regardless #+ the $eth#d #+ e8ecuti#n, there is
al)ays a large $argin +#r err#r, and there is n# +##l>pr##+ $eth#d #+ $urder +#r the state t# use.
E-ery e8ecuti#n $eth#d is cruel and unusual punish$ent, e-ery e8ecuti#n is $#re li,ely t# +ail
than t# succeed, and e-ery pers#n #n death r#) is a $artyr in a )ar they ne-er )anted t# +ight.
(he death penalty is truly a +ailure t# succeed.
Spencer 2
:#r,s Cited
Carter, Michael C. ':aiting t# Die! (he Cruel hen#$en#n #+ 'Death &#) Syndr#$e**
Alternet.org. ;.p., n.d. :eb. 1 Mar. 2014.
EDeath enalty.E Amnesty International USA. ;.p., n.d. :eb. 13 Feb. 2014.
EDeath enalty F#cus.E Death Penalty. ;.p., n.d. :eb. 13 Feb. 2014.
EDeath enalty r#C#n.#rg.E ProConorg Headlines. ;.p., n.d. :eb. 13 Feb. 2014.
EDeath enalty.E Death Penalty. ;.p., n.d. :eb. 21 Feb. 2014.
Dieter, &ichard. Death Penalty Information Center. ;.p., n.d. :eb. 13 Feb. 2014.