Brian

National - Doctors who administer lethal injection to death row convicts must hide their identities, and in Florida the oddest way they do so is by wearing moon suits. The reason for this is not only to shield the doctor from the prisoner’s relations, but to keep their identity hidden from the American Medical Association, which forbids its members from participating in executions. Florida is the only state to use moon suits, but other states use different methods such as curtains. Because of these difficulties, states are having a hard time recruiting doctors, but are being pressured by the states to make sure executions do not cause “undue” pain. In the Diaz case last month, the prisoner Diaz took twice the normal time to die because the injection was administered incorrectly.

Opinion - It makes sense to me that the AMA would revoke membership on the grounds that executions go against the ethics of a profession based on healing, though it seems like the fact that the government needs qualified physicians to carry out executions should make these doctors exempt from scrutiny. Despite this, I feel keeping the doctor’s identity anonymous is a good precaution no matter what. However, I am against the death penalty in general, not because I feel it’s morally wrong, but because of the high court costs (it is cheaper to put someone in prison for life), and because of the possibility of misjudgment. In ancient times it may have been easier to identify a culprit due to smaller population, but in the modern world more than one mistake has been made in condemning prisoners to death.

National – Today the largest mob trial in years went to court. The government’s main witness, admitted hit man Nicholas Calabrese, agreed to let the cat out of the bag concerning the murders and other organized criminal activities of five men. The police linked Calabrese to a 1986 murder scene and convinced him to testify. Of the five men on trial are Joey “the Clown” Lombardo, and ex-Chicago police officer Anthony Doyle. Deliberations are to resume on Tuesday after Labor Day weekend.

Opinion – This might be an interesting trial to follow. I think it’s great they are finally trying to put these guys away for their crimes. I’d never really imagined that all those mobster stereotypes still existed in present day Chicago. Maybe I’ll follow up on this and find out what happens.