Alabama botched another execution. This time, the witness is still alive.
Alabama is the worst place to be executed. This state messes things up so bad, you’re either gonna die a horribly slow, accidentally painful death, like recently executed Joe Nathan James. Or, you’re gonna go through a similar fumbling process of finding vein access when the death warrant expires, like failed execution survivor Alan Eugene Miller. Unlike James, Miller is alive and willing to talk.
Excerpts from Ivana Hrnkniw’s report: A federal judge will allow attorneys for an Alabama Death Row inmate, who the state failed to execute on Thursday night, to preserve evidence and have the inmate examined for injuries.
Alan Eugene Miller was set to be executed Thursday night by the state of Alabama for his August 5, 1999 shooting spree that left three men dead in Shelby County. But it was called off at approximately 11:30 p.m. because Miller’s veins couldn’t be accessed before the death warrant expired at midnight, Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm said.
R EL A T E D: Judge tells state to ‘locate and preserve evidence’ in failed execution of Alan Eugene Miller - al.com
R E L A T E D: Alabama halts execution of Alan Eugene Miller, citing time constraints and vein access - al.com
R E L A T E D: Autopsy reveals how Alabama botched Joe Nathan James’ execution: Truth is ‘engraved in his skin’ - al.com
Miller’s attorneys asked in a filing made Friday morning in the Middle District of Alabama that one of Miller’s “attorneys and/or one of their agents be given access to meet with Mr. Miller in person today at Holman Correctional Facility with equipment necessary to preserve evidence of his injuries from last night’s attempted execution.”
“(The state has) publicly admitted they had difficulty accessing his veins during the process, and the execution was called off,” the motion said. “Mr. Miller has injuries from the attempted execution that can and should be photographed and/or filmed. For the reasons stated above, (Miller) respectfully moves this court to enter an order granting his motion for access to preserve evidence and directing (the state) to permit the access requested above.”
R E L A T E D: Witnessing an Alabama execution? Wear a strong set of underwear, ladies - al.com
District Judge R. Austin Huffaker, Jr. ruled that Miller’s attorneys can have access to him between certain hours Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and are allowed to bring in their cell phones. The attorneys are also allowed to take photos and videos.
The state “shall make immediate efforts to locate and preserve evidence concerning the attempted execution, including but not limited to notes, emails, texts, and used medical supplies such as syringes, swabs, scalpels, and IV-lines,” the judge ordered.
R E L A T E D: Death penalty opponents deliver petitions ‘to pull back curtain’ on Alabama executions - al.com
I agree with my colleague Roy S. Johnson: Until Alabama can get it right, stop it.
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JD Crowe is the cartoonist for Alabama Media Group and AL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award for local and state cartoons by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter @Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix.
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