|
#182
●
07-07-2012, 01:33 AM
|
|
Re: 2012 Executions in the USA
![]() Executed June 27, 2012 in Arizona Death-row inmate Samuel Villegas Lopez stared straight ahead Wednesday as he lay strapped to a table in Arizona's execution chamber, wincing slightly as two catheters that soon would deliver a fatal drug were inserted into his veins. Lopez's execution was the first in Arizona history in which witnesses other than prison officials saw catheters inserted into an inmate's veins - a move the state Department of Corrections made after a federal judge recently sided with The Associated Press and Idaho news organizations seeking full viewing access to lethal injections. The ruling was upheld by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, meaning it was unlikely Arizona would have been able to keep its process limited much longer. Until Wednesday, news media and victims' family members entered the death chamber at the state prison only after the inmate had been injected and covered with a sheet to his chest or neck. This time, they watched on television screens set up in the death chamber as the execution team inserted Lopez with the catheters behind a curtain. The curtain was lifted just before a fatal dose of pentobarbital was sent coursing through Lopez's veins. During the process, Lopez blinked often and showed no signs he was experiencing pain, although he slightly winced once. As the execution team checked his veins, Lopez asked, 'It look all right?' to which they responded: 'We're doing good.' Toward the end, Lopez said he had a question: 'Are these the only two IV lines going to be inserted in me?' Once the curtains were pulled, Lopez stared straight ahead and ignored the nine family members of his murder victim who were in the room to watch him die. When asked if he had last words, he said in a clear voice: 'No, I do not.' As the drug was delivered, Lopez began breathing heavily, closing his eyes and yawning once before he appeared to fall asleep with his mouth slightly open. He didn't move again after that. The execution ended at 10.37am, about 40 minutes after the insertion process began. Unlike Idaho, Arizona did not allow witnesses watch as Lopez was brought into the death chamber and strapped to the table at his ankles and wrists and over his torso. Before he went into the execution chamber, Lopez embraced the Southwestern cooking while ordering his last meal, choosing to dine on a two chili burritos con carne (one red chili and one green chili) along with Spanish rice, a jalepeño, an avocado, cottage cheese and french fries. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...y-watched.html |
|
#189
●
07-15-2012, 10:25 PM
|
|
Re: 2012 Executions in the USA
Something about your post count tells me you have a bit of time in your hands... How would you like to update all the ones that have been missed since variable disappeared? I'm sure all the followers of this thread would be grateful!
|