So, What's Wrong With A Good Old-Fashioned Hanging?

[MajGenl.Meade]

Death by life imprisonment. You know it's the right choice.

[Gob]

Like this?

Campaigners in the US are calling for the release of a man in Missouri serving a life sentence without parole for a marijuana offence. They are crowdfunding and using the hashtag #FreeJeff.




Jeff Mizanskey has been in prison for almost 21 years. For 20 of those years, no-one outside his friends and family have heard of his case. But in the past months, and weeks in particular, that has started to change.

More than 370,000 people have signed an online petition for his release. And now campaigners are crowdfunding to try to raise $21,000 (£12,000) for him - a symbolic $1,000 for each year he's been inside. They plan to spend the money raised on billboards, and a media campaign to raise awareness of his case.

In 1994 Mizanskey was found guilty of "possession and intent to distribute" cannabis. It was his third offence, and under Missouri's "prior and persistent drug offender" law, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

"He's been in prison since right after I was born," says Aaron Malin who's organising the #FreeJeff fundraising, and is director of research at Show-Me Cannabis, which aims to get marijuana legalised in Missouri. "He's never used the internet, or even held a cellphone... He's not familiar with the concept of Twitter - much less a hashtag," he adds.

[BoSoxGal]

Death by life imprisonment. You know it's the right choice.

No, of course it's awful, too.

But what else should be done with those who have committed the most heinous offenses? Is a serial rapist or murderer ever safe to release back into society?

[Jarlaxle]

Tell me why they can't just mix up their own potassium chloride?

Cheap, easy, and widely available. And it is rapidly and certainly lethal (in the right dose).

It's not like we have to care about FDA regulations or doing LAL tests for bacterial contamination. Mix potassium chloride with water, stir until dissolved and filter.

Yrs,
Rubato

If I recall, delivery of the KCl by itself would be extremely painful; the first drug administered is a general anesthetic, followed by a muscle relaxant (in an amount sufficient to slow/stop respiration (and possibly cardiac function), followed (in some states) by KCl. It is the other drugs that need to be obtained from pharma companies or pharmacies.

Why not just hit the dude with 50,000mg (15-20x a lethal dose) of morphine?

[Jarlaxle]

Death by life imprisonment. You know it's the right choice.

No, of course it's awful, too.

But what else should be done with those who have committed the most heinous offenses? Is a serial rapist or murderer ever safe to release back into society?

Offer a class in all prisons: "Suicide 101--getting it right the first time".

[rubato]

Or 50,000 mg of heroin? No reason for him to suffer.

yrs,
rubato

[Econoline]

Why not just hit the dude with 50,000mg (15-20x a lethal dose) of morphine?

Or 50,000 mg of heroin? No reason for him to suffer.

I'm generally not a fan of the DP...but I was thinking along the same lines. People OD (accidentally or intentionally) on various drugs all the time; obviously it isn't all that hard to do. Hell, be extra-nice and give the convicted felon a choice of drugs on which to overdose.

[Econoline]

P.S. Hey, Jarl, good to see you back posting here again.

[Lord Jim]

Offer a class in all prisons: "Suicide 101--getting it right the first time".

I can see the logic there...(if we're talking about serious criminal types...)

Though I'm not sure I'd want to teach Suicide 101 to folks who were in Stoney Lonesome for writing a bad check, or a minor drug charge...

I guess I'm just weak knee'd liberal thug-hugger....

[BoSoxGal]

Offer a class in all prisons: "Suicide 101--getting it right the first time".

I can see the logic there...(if we're talking about serious criminal types...)

Though I'm not sure I'd want to teach Suicide 101 to folks who were in Stoney Lonesome for writing a bad check, or a minor drug charge...

I guess I'm just weak knee'd liberal thug-hugger....

Hey! That's MY label and I've been wearing it proudly since you bestowed it upon me a few years ago when I was defending the indigent.

In all seriousness, Suicide 101 doesn't appeal to the sociopaths and psychopaths from which we most need protection. Suicide is most appealing to people who experience regret & remorse - and are thus candidates for rehabilitation.

[Big RR]

I would think it would also have some appeal for those who could not tolerate being imprisoned for an extended period with no possibility of parole.

[TPFKA@W]

I don't think the drugs they use are actually at the root of the problem, it's the thug veins that are the issue. The people involved are having issues getting a decent IV to remain "working" to adequately deliver the drugs. Corpulence and previous IV drug use would be factors in causing difficulty.