Lethal injection was intended to replace traditional methods of execution, such has hanging, the gas chamber, and the electric chair, that were considered cruel and unusual punishment. The Supreme Court ruled 5–4 today that the use of a particular sedative in lethal injection cocktails in Oklahoma does not violate the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
SCOTUS 5-4 upholds use of midazolam in lethal injection. Breyer & Ginsburg would reconsider constitutionality of the death penalty.
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) June 29, 2015
The sedative used in lethal injections is meant to put the person to sleep before other drugs stop the heart and paralyze the lungs; however, a series of what many people are calling “botched” executions led to the Glossip v. Gross case. Inmates argued that midazolam is unreliable in rendering the inmate unconscious, potentially exposing him to extreme pain from the third drug administered.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in her dissent, didn’t hold back on her opposition to the use of midazolam.
J. Sotomayor's dissent in Glossip is blistering. pic.twitter.com/9C0SRiI7Ce
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) June 29, 2015
Sotomayor dissent in Glossip says #SCOTUS exposes defendants to risk of “chemical equivalent of being burned at stake”
— Kimberly Robinson (@KimberlyRobinsn) June 29, 2015
Sotomayor didn’t stop at comparing Oklahoma’s lethal injection process to burning at the stake, saying, “Under the Court’s new rule, it would not matter whether the State intended to use midazolam, or instead to have petitioners drawn and quartered, slowly tortured to death, or actually burned at the stake.”
Sotomayor: lethal injection in OK "the chemical equivalent of being burned at the stake" http://t.co/NapicDwNw9 pic.twitter.com/4AHRvBOwCw
— Vox (@voxdotcom) June 29, 2015
@voxdotcom I think she meant "… equivalent of being served burnt steak." Because going to sleep =/= torture.
— WeirdRalph (@weirdralph) June 29, 2015
https://twitter.com/brad_dallas/status/615530750176313345
@KimberlyRobinsn such a drama queen.
— Logged Out For Good (@DE_Ploribus_Uno) June 29, 2015
Not surprisingly, the majority in the decision couldn’t simply let Sotomayor’s comparison to inmates being “drawn and quartered” stand unchallenged.
From lethal injection majority opinion: use of midazolam not equal to being drawn and quartered @rtv6 @katieheinz6 pic.twitter.com/LRaZ3a27kn
— #IndyThisWeek (@IndyThisWeek) June 29, 2015
If Justices Sotomayor, Breyer, & Ginsburg want to look at the constitutionality of the death penalty then they should reconsider Roe v Wade.
— Elisha (@ElishaKrauss) June 29, 2015
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