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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2008 > September > 13 > Entry
Death penalty defense: Too fat to die?
Richard Wade Cooey
Maybe you’ve heard about the case of an Ohio Death Row inmate who’s lawyer claims he his too fat to die? It grabbed a few headlines around the country.
If you’re interested in the story behind the story, check out Richard Wade Cooey’s actual legal argument in an op-ed column by his lawyer from the Cincinnati Enquirer. He writes that Cooey’s various weight-related medical conditions increase the likelihood that he will suffer pain during the execution.
The parole board rejected that idea. His execution is scheduled for next month. Cooey was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of two college students.
Today’s DDN editorial looks at a different death penalty case in which the wrong man might have been executed after spending five years on death row. It’s the latest example of the growing national concern that has many asking if the death penalty should be reconsidered.
Tell us what you think in the comments.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Law Enforcement and Public Safety
Comments
By plbell627
September 13, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this
I have worked for 19 years in the Ohio Department of Rehabiliation and Correction. There have been 2 other Inmates that were obese and have been executed. The 1st was Jeffery Lundgren who was executed on 10/24/2006 there was no problem with his execution. The 2nd was Christopher Newton who also was executed 5/24/2007. He was like Inmate Cooey very obese. Unlike what was reported this Inmate approved that the execution team could take as much time to find suitable veins. He was allowed to have a bathroom break, but that was during the time it took to find the veins and was not as reported like it was all the execution teams fault.By Tom Intili
September 20, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this
Killing people to show that we’re against killing people. Novel idea. All one needs to know about the death penalty is that in 2003, in the State of Illinois, thirteen out of 156 death row inmates were exonerated and set free after a group of journalism students from Northwestern University began to take a closer look at each conviction, and where possible, use DNA evidence to prove their innocence. 13/156 is 8.3%. Sorry folks, but even if the other 143 are guilty as hell, 91.7% accuracy just isn’t good enough, particularly when you consider that it costs the state about six times more to execute a convict than it does to incarcerate him/her for life. Wake up folks. The death penalty is simply indefensible no matter how you look at it.By ralph
September 22, 2008 11:13 PM | Link to this
Oh boy| A poor murderer getting fat in prison. This is a civil rights violation .His lawyer can notify the federal government to investigate the matter for another ten years.