Here is the sixty-fourth article in our Republicans on Parade series, featuring individuals who personify what the Republican Party has become. Today’s honoree is District Court Judge, Stephen P. Friot. He is so honored for approving death by slow torture.
A federal judge in Oklahoma City on Monday said that the state can resume executing prisoners this winter, rejecting the argument by some medical experts that using the same sedative involved in the bungled execution of Clayton D. Lockett in April amounted to an illegal experiment on human subjects.
Judge Stephen P. Friot of Federal District Court, ruling against condemned prisoners who sought to delay new executions, said that lethal injection was more humane than historical methods like hanging, and that since the sedative in question, midazolam, had been successfully used in a dozen executions elsewhere, it should not be considered new or experimental.
“Federal courts should not sit as a board of inquiry as to best practices,” Judge Friot said, adding, “The plaintiffs have failed to present a known and available alternative.” An occasional isolated episode does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, he said…
Inserted from <NY Times>
In this case, “occasional isolated incident” comprises every time this cocktail has been used, and there is a known and viable alternative. It is life without possibility of parole. Of course, this fascist Republican judge is a natural to support torture. He was appointed by Texas Torquemada, GW Bush.
16 Responses to “Republicans on Parade–12/24/2014”
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Oh dear Heaven – words fail me – want to throw up!
Me too!
"Successfully used in a dozen executions elsewhere" falls a little short of the standard for clinical trials. In which clinical trials maybe he should be invited to participate.
He includes the last one in Oklahoma as one of the successes. He considers death a success no matter how much sufferiung accompanied it. Amen!
Well, we now know that Afghans who were innocent of any crime were tortured to death by the CIA, and Dick Cheney says he's OK with that, so I suppose Friot is just following the example set by a higher-ranking Republican.
Exactly!
Is he a "Christian"? If so, he really doesn't know how to give, but he sure knows how to take away life.
This is in my home state. I AM APPALLED! There are no words that can describe the amount of disgust I have for the government of OK at this time. Hopefully, appeals are in the works and they won’t be able to do this to people that are waiting on death row. I am sufficiently nauseated now to throw up on the whole repukkklican party. They don’t know the first thing about being Christian!
They are Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian, the exact opposite of authentic Christian,
No–if it is cruel and unusual punishment because no one will sell you the drugs that aren't it remains cruel and unusual until you are so cruel to make it usual.
Well said, JL!
Barf… 😈
and rebarf! 🙁
Is he trying to cause an F(g)riot?
"… there is a known and viable alternative. It is life without possibility of parole." Amen!!!!!
This past week, the jury's decision in the Luka Magnotta murder trial in Montréal was handed down . . . guilty and will most likely be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for a minimum of 25 years. Earlier, the fellow who killed 3 RCMP constables in New Brunswick pled guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole for 75 years. Certainly the 2nd fellow, but likely Magnotta too, will never taste freedom again. Isn't that a fitting punishment? Wouldn't it be nice if Baby Bush and Chickenhawk Cheney were imprisoned for crimes against humanity and had to sit in a cell looking out as the world went by? . . . and no special treatment at a Club Fed etc.
The US right wing evangelical pseudo Christians really like their Old Testament and believe in "an eye for an eye" whether or not it seems, an eye was even extracted in the first place.
Republicans believe in lex talionis. I work in restorative justice. I work with some men, whose crine as as bad as the two you mention. I don't think they should get out, brcause loife without possibility has to stick to be a viable alternative. But it warms mey hart to see that they have mase a life for themselves inside by helping others.
Capitol punishment is always cruel and unusual punishment!