We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
PEER-REVIEWED STUDIES IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF LETHAL INJECTION FOR EXECUTION.
- Authors
Zimmers, Teresa A.; Koniaris, Leonidas G.
- Abstract
Lethal injection was designed and carried out without any research at all. There is no evidence that any literature searches, animal modeling, clinical studies, or investigations of veterinary practice were performed prior to the first lethal injection execution. The paucity of objective information on drug action and mechanism of death in lethal injection belies the assurance of expert testimony in lethal injection litigation. Here we review two peer-reviewed studies on lethal injection for execution in which we present evidence that lethal injection does not affect death through the mechanisms intended, that thiopental may be insufficient to assure anesthesia, and that death might be affected through pancuronium-induced asphyxiation. We conclude that failures in protocol design and implementation indicate that the conventional view of lethal injection as an invariably painless death is flawed.
- Subjects
LETHAL injection (Execution); ANIMAL models in research; ASPHYXIA; PANCURONIUM (Drug); DEATH; VETERINARY medicine; LAW
- Publication
Fordham Urban Law Journal, 2008, Vol 35, Issue 4, p919
- ISSN
0199-4646
- Publication type
Article