Justice in Ohio

Some troubling business at a recent execution in the state of Ohio.

The 16 minutes it took Christopher Newton to die once chemicals began flowing into his veins was the longest stretch that any of the state's inmates executed since 1999 has endured, an Associated Press review shows. During that span Thursday — more than twice as long as usual, and 5 minutes longer than the state's previous longest on record — Newton's stomach heaved, his chin quivered and twitched, and his 6-foot, 265-pound body twice mildly convulsed within the restraints.

State prison records show that other Ohio inmates died within an average of 7 minutes, 30 seconds, and that the entire process typically takes about 20 minutes. The state did not compile that information for two inmates.

The execution team at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville stuck Newton at least 10 times with needles to find suitable veins for the shunts where the chemicals are injected. He died nearly two hours after the scheduled start of his execution.

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These adds to the many other troubling stories of the flaws in the execution methods used.

What is worse? The attitude of the prison officials is worse.

...prison officials said Friday that Newton's execution was properly handled and considered successful...

With the suffering inflicted on him, a success? Well, he is dead.

Good enough?