New Technique
The state of Alabama is preparing a new method of execution. It’s called nitrogen hypoxia. It’s actually pretty simple, especially when compared to the lethal injection method. Lethal injection involves first a drug to “knock out” the inmate, then a second injection to cause heart failure. It’s been a difficult mix, especially because the companies that manufacture the drugs refuse to cooperate in this “off book” use. They might be acting out of conscience, but just as likely out of fear of liability.
Nitrogen hypoxia is straight-forward. The inmate is fitted with a mask, and the mask is filled with 100% nitrogen, instead of the normal 80% nitrogen, 20% oxygen mix that makes up our normal atmosphere. Supposedly, the inmate will “quietly pass out”, then ultimately die from lack of oxygen (NBC). It’s supposed to be a “peaceful” death, that doesn’t run afoul of the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishments. And Alabama wants to “try it out”, perhaps as soon as the day after tomorrow.
Peaceful Deaths
The hypoxia plan is supposed to lead to a “peaceful death”. That was also the electric chair plan and the hanging by the neck after dropping through a scaffold plan. And so was the lethal injection plan. And all of these plans proved to be problematic. Those damn inmates just don’t die the way they are supposed to. They struggle for life, even unconscious. The heave and they moan, they open their eyes and they kick. Losing life is like that.
People failed to die in the electric chair, and they have to be electrocuted again and again. Necks don’t break on the fall through the scaffold, and they kick and struggle as they strangle for minutes at the end of the rope. And the chemicals just don’t seem to work as they are supposed to. One of the biggest problems with that – the “execution teams” don’t know what they’re doing. They can’t find a vein to put an IV in, and end up doing “cut downs”. That’s because most knowledgeable medical personnel won’t have anything to do with killing someone.
There are other sure-fire methods to kill someone. Firing squads generally work. But it puts the burden of homicide (killing someone) on the members of the squad. Beheading works, the old European method (the chopping block), the French mechanized method (guillotine), or the Japanese samurai method (a single swing with a Katana). But history is replete with botched executions, from Mary Queen of Scots on. And there’s that blood problem – so much blood. Hard to argue that it’s not cruel, or unusual.
Gas in a Hurry
But Alabama is so anxious to carry out the death penalty, they are willing to “give it a try”. Will it work – Probably. Will it be cruel and unusual – well definitely unusual as it will be the first time. By the way, animal rights advocates oppose the use of hypoxia as a means of euthanizing dogs – it’s too cruel (HSUS). But Alabama is moving ahead with it anyway.
Which brings us to the real question: why does the state of Alabama, or any state, feel such a strong obligation to kill people? We already know that the death penalty is racially biased, more expensive than just keeping someone in prison for life, and doesn’t serve as a deterrent to crime (deathpenaltyinfo.org). And, of course, sometimes we (society) kill innocent people.
Politics
The death penalty is about retribution, pay-backs if you will, for the crime committed. It is vengeance in a Biblical sense. And that vengeance is very politically satisfying for a majority of the population, with 6 out of 10 Americans in favor of the death penalty in some form (Pew). So it’s a political position that a majority supports. Even though it’s not a deterrent, more expensive, and violates the Constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. (And before we get into the whole, “…well the Founding fathers used the death penalty, so it must be OK thing…”; keep in mind that those same Fathers also enslaved people, denied the citizenship of women, and slaughtered Native Americans).
Alabama is finding a new way to kill. But states should get out of the business of killing all together. Want to punish someone, to wreak vengeance on them? Put them in jail for life, no parole. It’s cheaper, and it takes the blood off of the hands of the executioners, and all of the folks they represent – the citizens.
