Transcript Lethal Injection PP

Sarah
Who receives lethal injection?
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Capital offenders who has been sentenced
to death will be executed using this
method
The death penalty is almost exclusively
reserved for first degree murder with
aggravating circumstances (treason, aggravated
kidnapping, drug trafficking, aircraft hijacking, espionage,
aggravated assault)
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In 2007 Texas was the 7th state to signed
into law a new statute allowing the death
penalty for the rape of a child
Before the Execution
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Prisoners are held on death row. Sometimes for
so long that they die naturally, rather than by
execution
24 hours prior to the official execution, the
inmate is moved to the deathwatch cell. He is
given a final meal (his requested dinner), the
warden and the chaplain visit, the inmate makes
final preparations, and the heart monitor is
connected
Sarah
Who can watch the execution?
Sarah
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The witnesses are allowed to enter the viewing
room. People allowed to watch the execution
are:
 Relatives of the victim(s)
 Relatives of the prisoner
 Prison warden
 Medical personnel
 Spiritual advisor(s)
 Prison guards
 Official group of "reputable citizens"
 Official group of state-selected witnesses
 Media representatives
How is the inmate restrained?
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The prisoner is moved to the execution chamber
and bound to a gurney
A gurney is a metal stretcher with wheels and
straps where the inmate is tightly bound at the
beginning of the execution
Sarah
Sarah
Who delivers the lethal dose?
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An IV tube is put inside of one of the
major blood veins in the inmate
There are three staff members who inject
the lethal drugs. Each of them injects the
drugs an IV line. This is so the
executioners don’t know who delivered the
lethal dose and who injected them into a
dummy bag
What drugs are given to the
inmate?
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The drugs are given in this order:
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Sodium thiopental- the anesthetic
Pancuronium bromide (Pavulon)- Muscle
relaxant
Potassium Chloride- A toxic agent
In-between drugs, a saline solution
flushes out the intravenous line
Sarah
Sarah
Sodium Thiopental
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Sodium thiopental is the anesthetic
The normal dose for this particular
anesthetic 100 to 150 milligrams over a
period of 10 to 15 seconds. The dose for
the inmate is up to 5 grams
Often, after the anesthetic is delivered,
the inmate cant feel anything for the
remainder of the execution
Sarah
Pancuronium Bromide
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Is the muscle relaxant and is given in such
high doses that it paralyzes the diaphragm
and lungs, ultimately causing the inmate
to stop breathing
The drug is usually given at about 60
micrograms per kilogram of body weight.
During the execution the give it in doses
of about 100 milligrams total
Other chemicals used at the paralyzing
agent include tubocurarine chloride and
succinylcholine chloride
Sarah
Potassium Chloride
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Potassium chloride is not used by all
states
It is administered at a lethal dose and
interrupts the electrical signal the tells the
inmates heart when to beat. This induces
cardiac arrest
After the Death
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Within two minutes from when the last
drug was administered, the inmate is
pronounced dead by the attending
physician
The body is placed in a body bag and
moved so an autopsy can be preformed
After the autopsy is done, the deceased’s
family may claim the body or it is interred
by the state
Sarah