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Interview: Botched Oklahoma execution sparks debate about lethal injection

In this Tuesday, April 15, 2008 file photo, Terry Crenshaw, wardens assistant at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, walks past the gurney in the execution chamber at left, in McAlester, Okla. At right are the rows of chairs in which witnesses to executions are seated. Oklahoma prison officials tried for 51 minutes to find a vein in a death row inmate's arms and feet before inserting an IV through the man's groin ahead of a botched execution this week, the state's prisons chief said Thursday in a report urging more oversight of executions. (AP Photo)

In this Tuesday, April 15, 2008 file photo, Terry Crenshaw, wardens assistant at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, walks past the gurney in the execution chamber. Oklahoma prison officials tried for 51 minutes to find a vein in a death row inmate’s arms and feet before inserting an IV through the man’s groin ahead of a botched execution this week, the state’s prisons chief said Thursday in a report urging more oversight of executions. (AP Photo)


HILARY: The Oklahoma execution that went awry Tuesday night has re-sparked international debate over lethal injection. Today, a spokesman for the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva said the botched execution could amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

One of the problems with the execution was the lack of appropriate drugs.

BACK ANNOUNCE: Deborah Denno is a law professor at Fordham University who studies the death penalty.

She says many things went wrong Tuesday night.

NOTE: BACK ANNOUNCE IS SELF-CONTAINED IN THE TAPE.

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