Information on Ohio's New Execution Protocol

 

INFORMATION ON BOTCHED EXECUTIONS

 

History of Botched Lethal Injection Executions in Ohio

On September 15, 2009, an execution team in Ohio struggled for over two hours to find suitable veins in the arms and legs of Romell Broom but were unable to do so. This is the third botched execution in Ohio in as many years. In May 2006, the execution of Joseph Clark lasted almost 90 minutes. It took executioners 25 minutes to find a suitable vein and after the lethal injection drugs began flowing, Mr. Clark lifted his head off the gurney and said, "It's not working." After 30 more minutes of struggling to set a new IV, the execution continued and Mr. Clark was pronounced dead. In May 2007, during the execution of Christopher Newton, it took the execution team so long to find a suitable vein that Mr. Newton needed to take a bathroom break. In total, it took almost two hours before he was pronounced dead.

 

Joseph L. Clark, Ohio, May 2, 2006

• "Family sues over botched Ohio execution: 2006 procedure lasted 86 minutes," The Toledo (OH) Blade, July 3, 2007

• "Botched Execution Leads to Ohio Review, America's Intelligence Wire," May 11, 2006

• "Capital Clumsiness," Hartford Courant, May 8, 2006

• "Execution ordeal fuels U.S. debate, The New York Times," May 4, 2006

• "'It don't work,' inmate says during botched execution," Columbus Dispatch, May 3, 2006
  

• "Trouble Finding Inmate's Vein Slows Lethal Injection in Ohio," The New York TImes" , May 3, 2006
  

Christopher Newton, Ohio, May 24, 2007

• "Prisoner executed after IV lines cause delay," Columbus Dispatch, May 25, 2007

 

Information on Botched Executions Nationwide

• Overview of Botched Executions

• Media Coverage of Botched Execution

• Information on Botched Attempted Execution of Willie Francis: " Deborah Denno on the Botched Execution," The StandDown Texas Project, Sept. 15, 2009

 

Updated: November 14, 2009