Criminals that have commited capital offenses (offenses that can be punished with the death penalty) may be breathing a sigh of relief, even if only temporary, as the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-3 ruling that appeals of death sentences can be made that use the reasoning that lethal injection causes too much pain and should be considered cruel and unusual punishment (a violation of the eigth ammendment to the constitution).
I don't "get" this decision, at least not from the majority of the court. Unfortunately the news source (AP via MSNBC) doesn't list who fell on which side of the case, other than to say Justice Kennedy wrote for the majority and Justice Stevens was clearly on the side of the death penalty being too harsh.
At least 3 others joined with them, and 3 opposed. I can guess who opposed, and am fairly confident of who sided with Kennedy and Stevens.
Regardless, I have to ask what these folks really think the death penalty is, and just how they would recommend it be administered? Do they want us to load up those destined for the great here-after with happy happy drugs that will keep them from feeling anything and then load them up with the fatal doses? How about just giving them an extra long dose of nitrous oxide and then giving them the dose? Make us come up with new drugs that kill without pain? Execution by carbon monoxide?
What will satisfy the anti-death penalty types?
Man, it's times like this that I miss Bernard Shaw and wish he was tossing that great debate question at each of the 5.
