Will the EU Kill America’s Death Penalty?

Amirani

Will the EU Kill America’s Death Penalty?

Capital punishment via the preferred lethal injection method is becoming a lot more difficult to implement because pharmaceutical companies are withdrawing products being used in executions.

Hospira, who make sodium thiopental, which is used in all but two States have stopped supplying it because it contravenes EU torture laws (the have a base in Italy).

"As sodium thiopental supplies have expired or run out, states with the death penalty are struggling to find approved alternatives. As a result, the New Republic reports that there are moratoria on executions in Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, and Tennessee."

There will obviously be alternatives, but the increasing difficulty may just tip swing states of the edge. The article also mentions that American courts may say that under European export laws, there is no constitutional way to keep the death penalty around.

I obviously don't like to see a situation where countries don't have self-determination on issues, but does the end justify the means here?

Malibu Stacy

No - states can just go back to hangings, firing squads, or the electric chair (although some states have outlawed the use of the latter).

clairefontaine

Malibu Stacy wrote: »

No - states can just go back to hangings, firing squads, or the electric chair (although some states have outlawed the use of the latter).

Yes they can, but those methods make it less palatable, so when the violence of the act becomes more obvious and repugnant, it may create more pressure to stop it alltogether.

I believe Texas is running out of the chemical.

Brian?

clairefontaine wrote: »

Yes they can, but those methods make it less palatable, so when the violence of the act becomes more obvious and repugnant, it may create more pressure to stop it alltogether.

I believe Texas is running out of the chemical.

Fingers crossed.

The death penalty is an abomination that needs to end.

Corkfeen

I'd suspect the excessive cost of the death penalty is what will kill it. It'll get phased out as the years go on in plenty of states.

Manic Moran

Corkfeen wrote: »

I'd suspect the excessive cost of the death penalty is what will kill it.

This is far more likely.

Black Swan

Corkfeen wrote: »

I'd suspect the excessive cost of the death penalty is what will kill it. It'll get phased out as the years go on in plenty of states.

The criminal justice system in America is massive, where they imprison more citizens per capita than any other nation on earth. There are huge profits and many employed by CJ in both public and private sectors, so I doubt reducing costs associated with capital punishment will be a factor, when the whole CJ system is inefficient and wasteful.

Most states of the 50 have capital punishment. It's really doubtful that will change anytime soon, regardless what happens in the EU.

Approximately 63% of Americans favour the death penalty reports Gallup; a figure they claim has become stable in recent years. Of course, caution should be exercised when interpreting Gallup polls, given problems associated with their sampling methodology and predictive models.

Getting "tough on crime" has been popular political mantra during campaign seasons, and a candidate platform that includes ridding the state and country of the death penalty may fail with 80% of Republicans, 65% Independents, and 51% Democrats given the Gallup poll.

InTheTrees

I watched a five minute news segment on this story and they completely ignored the EU connection. They made it sound like US Pharmaceutical companies were behind the ban because of lack of FDA testing.

Orwell wouldnt have believed it...