T1B

Executed killer took 34 minutes to die
POSTED: 9:58 a.m. EST, December 14, 2006
Story Highlights• NEW: Two doses of drugs used in execution
• NEW: Diaz had liver disease, which made execution take longer, state says
• Diaz was convicted of the 1979 murder of a Miami strip club manager
• The execution marks the state's fourth since September; 64th since 1979
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STARKE, Florida (AP) -- Death penalty opponents criticized the execution of a convicted murderer who took more than half an hour to die and needed a rare second dose of lethal chemicals.

Angel Nieves Diaz, 55, convicted of murdering a Miami topless bar manager 27 years ago, appeared to grimace before dying 34 minutes after receiving a double lethal chemical dose Wednesday.

Department of Corrections spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger said she doesn't believe Diaz felt any pain. She said Diaz started snoring and became unconscious after the first three drugs were administered and never regained consciousness.

Plessinger said Diaz had liver disease, which required the second dose of lethal chemicals. But Diaz's cousin Maria Otero said the family had no knowledge that he suffered from liver disease and said the execution was political.

"Who came down to Earth and gave you the right to kill somebody?" Otero said, referring to Gov. Jeb Bush. "Why a stupid second dose?"

Bush said in a statement that the Department of Corrections followed all protocols: "A preexisting medical condition of the inmate was the reason tonight's procedure took longer than recent procedures carried out this year," the statement said.

Diaz was pronounced dead at 6:36 p.m., despite his protests of innocence and requests for clemency made by the governor of his native Puerto Rico.

A spokesman for Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, called Diaz's death a botched execution.

"They had to execute him twice," Mark Elliot said. "If Floridians could witness the pain and the agony of the executed man's family, they would end the death penalty."

In most Florida executions, the prisoner loses consciousness almost immediately and stops moving within three-to-five minutes. Two doctors watching a heart monitor then wait for it to show a flat line. They then inspect the body and pronounce death. The whole process happens within 15 minutes.

Diaz's final appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court challenged the chemicals used in the state's procedure, saying it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. His appeals were rejected about an hour before his execution began.

Attorneys for him and other condemned inmates have been unsuccessfully challenging Florida's three-chemical method, saying it results in extreme pain that an inmate cannot express because one of the drugs is a paralyzing agent.

Puerto Rican officials, including Gov. Acevedo Vila and Senate President Kenneth D. McClintock, wrote Bush asking him to stop Diaz's execution, but he declined. Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, abolished capital punishment in 1929.

Moments before his execution, Diaz again denied killing Joseph Nagy during a robbery at the Velvet Swing Lounge. There were no eyewitnesses to Nagy's December 29, 1979, murder. Most of the club's employees and patrons were locked in a restroom, but Diaz's girlfriend later told police he was involved.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

A bullet would have been much quicker

Bring back cruel and unusual punishment for murderers....

Jsc810 wrote:victims' families

nothing to do with the execution.
try again.

The Seer wrote:Bring back cruel and unusual punishment for murderers....

Let me guess, you wrote a book of your most epic message board takes and it isn't selling very well? You figured states could buy a few copy's and torture their death row inmates by forcing thme to read it? That goes way beyond cruel and unusual.

Bizzarofelice wrote:try again.

I take it you're against killing scum bags found guilty of heinous crimes?

If you're against the death penalty, then you're incapable of comprehending why they are related and any discourse on the topic would be fruitless. Good day...

ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2 wrote:If you're against the death penalty, then you're incapable of comprehending why they are related and any discourse on the topic would be fruitless. Good day...

Completely illogical.

Bizzarofelice wrote:Completely illogical.

Maybe you can work your way up to a 3 word retort. That would be... swell.

MuchoBulls wrote:Angel Nieves Diaz, 55, convicted of murdering a Miami topless bar manager 27 years ago, appeared to grimace before dying 34 minutes after receiving a double lethal chemical dose Wednesday.

Novel idea...actual length of time it takes to die on death sentence MUST exceed number of years on Death Row. Wonderful way to expedite the appeals process.

Plato wrote:

The Seer wrote:Bring back cruel and unusual punishment for murderers....

Let me make a very poor attempt to be funny....

FTFY-NC

mvscal wrote:

Bizzarofelice wrote:

Jsc810 wrote:victims' families

nothing to do with the execution.
try again.

Go fuck yourself, shitstain.

Don't expect much more than... "Make me" in the way of a response.

Thinking you will somehow get over on Bace is reminiscent of yesterday's Swing and Miss Festival that was hosted by Dins.

This may accidentally be my first real take on a subject, but I am against the death penalty. Politically, I am as conservative as they come, but cannot bring myself to believe that anyone has the right, or obligation, to impose death on another human being. Put those fuckers in boot camps, let them get ass-raped in prison, let them rot in solitary. I could care less. Sure, that sounds like "cruel and unusual punishment," but I have no problems with that. Save your "contradict yourself much" smack, too. Cruel punishment, to me, is still on a completely different level than imposing death. We have no right. You can also save your "it costs $2.1M to house and feed someone in prison for 50 years" bullshit, too. If that's what it costs, so be it. My tax dollars are already being wasted on single, unemployed mothers of 8, so what's another fucking nickel or two here and there to provide minimal means in order to keep the scum of the earth alive and suffering.

ST,

How would you feel about ONLY those who are against the death penalty pay the taxes that are required to keep them alive in prisons?

IndyFrisco wrote:ST,

How would you feel about ONLY those who are against the death penalty pay the taxes that are required to keep them alive in prisons?

How about we extend that idea to those only those who are in favor of programs like the "War on Drugs" or the "War on Terrah" pay for them?

Moments before his execution, Diaz again denied killing Joseph Nagy during a robbery at the Velvet Swing Lounge. There were no eyewitnesses to Nagy's December 29, 1979, murder. Most of the club's employees and patrons were locked in a restroom, but Diaz's girlfriend later told police he was involved.

Nothing like getting whacked on the word of a pissed off girlfriend.

That should teach some of your fucker's!

When she says she wants it in the ASS... you better be good bitches and do as your told.

IndyFrisco wrote:ST,

How would you feel about ONLY those who are against the death penalty pay the taxes that are required to keep them alive in prisons?

It costs a helluva lot more to execute 'em, what with all the appeals and whatsuch. How 'bout if ONLY those who are for the death penalty pay the taxes required to kill 'em?

Indy - I'm assuming you were trolling. If not, that's ponderous, man.

mvscal - I was speaking "morally," not "constitutionally." Admittedly, I'm not the sharpest tack in the box, but I am somewhat familiar with the fact that there are no laws being broken when an idiot is executed. It is merely my personal belief that it is wrong. As completely idiotic and gay as the saying "let God sort them out" is, I believe in the concept. No, you will never see me outside a prison at midnight holding a sign and lighting a fucking candle, but i just believe it's wrong. I'm a fan of yours, and actually agree with 99% of your views. I'm just not with you on this one. Oh, and save your "Maybe you think you could just jerk off all over them as punishment" emails, clones. I'm not going to read them.

supreme court wrote:Retribution, and the possibility of deterrence of capital crimes by prospective offenders are not impermissible considerations for a legislature to weigh in determining whether the death penalty should be imposed

News to me. I don't see how its pertinent, but guess the justices do. "Retribution" is a legal concept in murder cases? Damn. When was this written? Why is the term "legislature" in there?

Bizzarofelice wrote:"Retribution" is a legal concept in murder cases?

In the penalty phase. No different, really, than the awarding of punitive damages in civil cases. Except in scope.

Good discussions on the philosophical arguments for and against capital punishment here.

BSmack wrote:

IndyFrisco wrote:ST,

How would you feel about ONLY those who are against the death penalty pay the taxes that are required to keep them alive in prisons?

How about we extend that idea to those only those who are in favor of programs like the "War on Drugs" or the "War on Terrah" pay for them?

I'll pony up for the war on "Terrah" I am guessing you are opposed to a war on "Terrah" and will not be contributing to that frivolous cause.

In your honour I'll even contribute to the war on "ignorance."

Lord knows you could use a handout on that front.

mvscal wrote:It makes their lives worth more than their victims lives.

Poppycock.

warren wrote:I'll pony up for the war on "Terrah"

Look, kids. Its a glimpse of the almost extinct 20% of those who don't think Iraq is a joke. This is indeed a rare find.

SaladTosser wrote:Poppycock.

That's more gay than

"let God sort them out."

But you knew that.

SaladTosser wrote:Puppycock.

NOOOOOO!!!!!


Sin,
PrimeX

I'm sort of ambivalent on the death penalty (don't let the OL know this), but I'm of the opinion that if we are going to have it they should publicly broadcast every execution, and they should at least be painful. Back when I was a kid the hangings, beheadings and drawing and quarterings were done in the public square and the public knew exactly what it was getting. This crap where they give a lethal injection, and a perceived "grimace" is supposed to indicate that it's "cruel and unusual" is bullshit. Hanging, firing squad, gas chamber, stoning, small cuts with dull butter knives. Let the victims' families take their pick. If you're going to kill somebody don't try and make it look like something else.

Back when I was a kid the hangings, beheadings and drawing and quarterings were done in the public square

Connor MacLeod, is that you?

Mikey wrote:I'm sort of ambivalent on the death penalty (don't let the OL know this), but I'm of the opinion that if we are going to have it they should publicly broadcast every execution, and they should at least be painful. Back when I was a kid the hangings, beheadings and drawing and quarterings were done in the public square and the public knew exactly what it was getting. This crap where they give a lethal injection, and a perceived "grimace" is supposed to indicate that it's "cruel and unusual" is bullshit. Hanging, firing squad, gas chamber, stoning, small cuts with dull butter knives. Let the victims' families take their pick. If you're going to kill somebody don't try and make it look like something else.

RACK but only when the killer actually has a confession extracted from them. Then we'll know we're killing the right person. Ducking, pincers, judas cradles, spiked chairs and stuff should help with the confession process.

Smackie Chan wrote:

SaladTosser wrote:Poppycock.

That's more gay than

"let God sort them out."

But you knew that.

Ya.

Thanks for getting how much I get it.

MuchoBulls wrote:Executed killer took 34 minutes to die

Angel Nieves Diaz, 55, convicted of murdering a Miami topless bar manager 27 years ago, appeared to grimace before dying 34 minutes after receiving a double lethal chemical dose Wednesday.

Moments before his execution, Diaz again denied killing Joseph Nagy during a robbery at the Velvet Swing Lounge. There were no eyewitnesses to Nagy's December 29, 1979, murder. Most of the club's employees and patrons were locked in a restroom, but Diaz's girlfriend later told police he was involved.

There'd better have been something better than just his girlfriend's word. Hopefully there are no coerced confessions (like what happened in atlanta recently with the guy who police originally stated was dealing drugs from a little old 92 year old woman's home, and they ended up killing her) involved.