General Discussion

BainsBane

(53,012 posts)

38. Why not morphine?

Sat May 3, 2014, 01:33 AM

May 2014

I strongly oppose the death penalty. However, this week I've found myself wondering why they couldn't just give the condemned a lethal dose of morphine and let them drift off? If the dose isn't enough to kill the person, at least he won't be in pain, and then more could be administered.

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Bring the Guillotine Back to Death Row [View all] XemaSab May 2014 OP

Are drugs more humane, or simply a more palatable way to kill, to the populace? Fred Sanders May 2014 #1

More palatable Renew Deal May 2014 #2

Beats drawing and quartering pscot May 2014 #4

I agree Renew Deal May 2014 #10

But the guilotine is quicker and more humane to the person being killed mindwalker_i May 2014 #14

I thought it was very ironic the other day how the curtain was drawn on the witness window Nye Bevan May 2014 #16

Yes, that's it exactly mindwalker_i May 2014 #27

on the plus side Marblehead May 2014 #76

Kind of like how the oil from Iraq paid for the war? mindwalker_i May 2014 #84

The problem is that witnesses are needed, and witnesses tend to be squeamish. Nye Bevan May 2014 #3

It certainly had a bracing effect on the people of Paris day after day when cartloads of nobles, CTyankee May 2014 #7

Yes, until the main advocate of this (Robespierre) ended up being guillotined himself (nt) Nye Bevan May 2014 #15

This is what happens when such an injustice on people gets so severe they go on CTyankee May 2014 #17

How about volunteer witnesses? Use web cams and a cell phone app to view. L0oniX May 2014 #50

perhaps the state does not want to look as savage as it really is dembotoz May 2014 #5

Heh ...well after all the drone mass killings, looking savage because of executions is moot. L0oniX May 2014 #49

oklahoma is killing people with drones? nt arely staircase May 2014 #81

I think these other means are designed to be more palatable for the executioner. rrneck May 2014 #6

Cops Lancero May 2014 #9

Don't they all pull the trigger? Renew Deal May 2014 #12

they all have bullets, but all bullets but one are blanks, so no one knows who fired the fatal shot. dionysus May 2014 #20

No, only one round is a blank jmowreader May 2014 #39

i stand corrected. thank you. dionysus May 2014 #41

I think only the rifle with a live round would kick. nt rrneck May 2014 #25

Didyou ever see the movie "Paths of Glory." That firing squad execution is one of the most CTyankee May 2014 #13

It's an excellent movie, about a horrific moment in WWI struggle4progress May 2014 #19

I'll put it on the list. Thanks! nt rrneck May 2014 #24

How is it anti-war? AnalystInParadise May 2014 #58

Here is the description from Wikipedia CTyankee May 2014 #60

It was my understanding that there is only one bullet Ruby the Liberal May 2014 #18

That's what I always understood, rrneck May 2014 #23

Other way around, I think - one blank and the rest loaded petronius May 2014 #26

internationally that has fallen out of favor Sen. Walter Sobchak May 2014 #36

I'll add for Korea since international stances were mentioned davidpdx May 2014 #90

I think Korea used hanging, but a lot of countries are like that, Sen. Walter Sobchak May 2014 #91

A firing squad is better than a guillotine? Number of people that MillennialDem May 2014 #62

If the bullets are shot towards the brain Charlos May 2014 #64

False. Gunshot wound to the brain is not instant (let alone guaranteed) death. Nor is it MillennialDem May 2014 #67

It's a squad, not just one man Charlos May 2014 #68

I know it's a squad. I've seen plenty of WW2 firing squad videos that involve shooting the MillennialDem May 2014 #69

You missed the point. rrneck May 2014 #77

Ever been under anaesthesia? You feel your brain and senses turning to mush. Human MillennialDem May 2014 #78

Then why are we having this conversation? nt rrneck May 2014 #79

End capital punishment. nt ladjf May 2014 #8

Compared to what's in video games and movies... Lancero May 2014 #11

People's lives aren't video games BainsBane May 2014 #21

Perhaps. Lancero May 2014 #28

So you think violent criminals should be left to roam free BainsBane May 2014 #37

Yeah, that's exactly what he said ... oldhippie May 2014 #54

there were implications in his statements Trajan May 2014 #80

Agreed, the death penalty is barbaric Scootaloo May 2014 #83

The fact we are even discussing this BainsBane May 2014 #86

I'm simply being the devil's advocate Scootaloo May 2014 #89

Yup, why all those videos made by jihadists are not shown on TV nadinbrzezinski May 2014 #55

If we must have the death penalty Prophet 451 May 2014 #22

The problem with the guillotine is the mess it makes... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #29

We are too civilized for that NightWatcher May 2014 #31

I think the French just put that head in a basket and voila! Done! CTyankee May 2014 #61

There is video of executions using the good Dr's invention... Historic NY May 2014 #85

You know those are just nerve pulses and not actual life? People lose MillennialDem May 2014 #63

Facial muscles, yes, but the optic nerve... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #70

Yes but the consciousness does not last "minutes". It probably lasts 0-15 seconds. MillennialDem May 2014 #74

Fuck that, bring back the Brazen Bull. geomon666 May 2014 #30

Crucifiction was popular for over 1,000 years Major Nikon May 2014 #33

Cannibals are people too! L0oniX May 2014 #48

I had never pipi_k May 2014 #52

One of the more disturbing guillotine stories I've read talks of an experiment dpbrown May 2014 #32

Gives being a pain in the neck a new meaning. L0oniX May 2014 #47

If this isn't about sadism/vengeance, why don't we just give them a gigantic opiate OD? snot May 2014 #34

exactly. it's not rocket science to kill someone with drugs. huge benzo & opiate dose, it's over. dionysus May 2014 #43

Agreed. snot May 2014 #45

My personal preference... krispos42 May 2014 #35

Why not morphine? BainsBane May 2014 #38

Or just use a big cocktail of confiscated illegal drugs, like heroin and meth jmowreader May 2014 #40

I've always wondered that, too Recursion May 2014 #42

I don't know, I don't really like the feeling of anaesthesia, what makes you think the MillennialDem May 2014 #65

No one is going to use the guillotine BainsBane May 2014 #71

No one is going to use morphine either. The death penalty is going to remain the MillennialDem May 2014 #72

Although I know it isn't the intent, there is a downright eerie irony to the... Shandris May 2014 #44

They banned pictures of military coffins being off loaded to keep people from getting upset... L0oniX May 2014 #46

And I don't think banning pictures was right at all. Shandris May 2014 #57

Can't bring it back as the US never used it. We did lots of hangings. Not beheadings. Bluenorthwest May 2014 #51

Actually, if the government pipi_k May 2014 #53

I see that Larry is removed 969,437 times rock May 2014 #56

Oddly enough... pipi_k May 2014 #59

My argument exactly. PeteSelman May 2014 #66

how bout let's stop playing god? spanone May 2014 #73

If this country wants to be in the death penalty business then it avebury May 2014 #75

Kill! Kill! Kill! Iggo May 2014 #82

Since this is a morbid thread, why not just drain blood until dead? Owl May 2014 #87

Likely not painless IDemo May 2014 #88