Improve Method of Executions

Clark was executed by the state of Ohio in May 2006. He had committed heinous crimes: In 1984, he launched a 9-day, 1-man crime wave in Toledo, staging robberies in order to obtain money for illegal drugs. One day, he killed a convenience store clerk during a robbery. The next day, he murdered a gas station attendant. He was sentenced to death for his offenses.

But when the time came to carry out the sentence, Ohio prison officials and personnel botched it badly. It took nearly 90 minutes from the time they began attempting to kill Clark before they finally succeeded in doing so by lethal injection.

Personnel handling the execution at first could not find a suitable vein into which to inject the lethal chemicals. The vein they settled on collapsed, forcing them to try again. Then, according to reports, they apparently injected the legal drugs into the wrong IV line.

At one point, Clark raised himself up on the table to which he had been secured, and announced to the execution staff, "It don't work."

Later, as Clark's agony became more apparent to those witnessing the execution, he begged, "Can you just give me something by mouth to end this?"

Clark's family is suing the state of Ohio. They are seeking $150,000 in financial damages - but the key to their action is a demand that the state change its system of executing prisoners.

So persuasive is their case that Michael Manning, the brother of the gas station attendant Clark killed, has joined them in appealing for a change. Manning witnessed Clark's execution. "Nobody should have to die a horrible death," he told a judge.

Opinions concerning whether capital punishment is acceptable differ greatly. However, most people agree that cruel and unusual should not be part of any level of punishment for a crime.

Ohio officials shouldn't wait for the Clark's lawsuit to be resolved. They should find some means of ensuring that executions in the future are not handled so badly.

(source: The (W. Va.) Intelligencer)