Lethal Injection: Time for the Chop
On 29th April 2014, Clayton Lockett, 38, was executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma for the heinous crimes he committed fourteen years earlier.
That evening, he was escorted to the execution chamber and placed on the table. An intravenous line was inserted in his groin.
At 6.23pm, he was given midazolam, a sedative intended to render him unconscious. He should normally have lost consciousness within a minute or two. Seven minutes later, a doctor declared that Mr Lockett was still conscious. After a further three minutes, the doctor checked again and declared him unconscious. It is unclear what criteria he used to come to this conclusion, but the events that followed indicate that Mr Lockett was still partially conscious. Vecuronium was then administered to paralyse his muscles, followed by potassium chloride to stop his heart.Read More »Lethal Injection: Time for the Chop