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05.31.07
ACLU Launches Investigation into Newton Execution
Legal and Medical Experts Call on State to Release Information about Procedures, Events Leading up to Botched Execution
COLUMBUS- Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio announced
that it would investigate the execution procedures implemented by the
state and the events surrounding the execution of Christopher Newton one
week ago. The ACLU of Ohio was joined by Ohioans to Stop Executions and
Jonathan I. Groner MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at Ohio
State University who also called on the state to release information on
the execution and to end the death penalty in Ohio immediately.
“Despite spending six times the normal amount of time to kill someone by
lethal injection and the fact that Newton was seen moving and heaving
even after the paralytic was administered, the state is ignoring the
facts and claiming that the Newton execution was not ‘botched’,” said
ACLU of Ohio Legal Director Jeffrey Gamso. “It is imperative that the
prison’s practices and procedures are thoroughly examined and Ohio
immediately halts executions in order to review the death penalty.”
In its records request, sent to Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and
Corrections (ORDC) Director Terry Collins, Southern Ohio Correctional
Facility Warden Edwin C. Voorhies, Jr. and Governor Ted Strickland, the
ACLU of Ohio asked for the execution log, videotapes or logs of the
intubation phase of the execution, a copy of the ORDC’s practices and
procedures for executions and a list of all ORDC personnel who oversaw
Newton’s execution. The ACLU of Ohio also requested a copy of Newton’s
pre-execution medical evaluation and any autopsy records.
This marks the second Ohio execution that has been plagued with
problems. On May 2, 2006, Ohio executed Joseph L. Clark after a lengthy
delay resulting from a collapsed vein.
Ohio is one of several states with litigation challenging lethal
injection as cruel and inhumane, yet remains the only state with such a
challenge still actively executing death row inmates.
“Something went terribly wrong during Mr. Newton’s execution. Ohio must
take a serious look at its death penalty system and make several changes
if they are to avoid future problems during executions. The best way to
guarantee no further execution is botched is to put a halt to them now,”
Gamso concluded.
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Read the public records request
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