Tuesday, June 19, 1984TThe Battalion/Page 5
acNely
Court to rule on lethal injection
y
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The Su
preme Court said Monday it will de
cide if the federal government must
certify that drugs used for execu
tions are “safe and effective” for
their lethal purpose.
The justices will review a lower
court ruling ordering the Food and
Drug Administration to conduct a
study to make sure the drugs do not
cause “unusual” pain and suffering
during executions.
The court set arguments on the is
sue next term, which begins in Octo
ber. Meanwhile, several states, in
cluding Texas and North Carolina,
are continuing to use lethal injec
tions for scheduled executions.
In another case, the court ruled
unanimously that states may not ban
liquor advertisements from cable
television programs beamed in from
other states that allow the advertis
ing.
The decision reverses a lower
court ruling that Oklahoma’s inter
est in shielding its citizens from li
quor and wine ads outweighs the
free speech rights of cable networks.
In the lethal injection case, the
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia decided
prisoners in 11 states facing execu
tion by injection must be assured the
method is not “cruel and unusual.”
Mattox forsees no delays on Texas executions,
expects court to rule in favor of injections
AUSTIN — Texas Attorney
General Jim Mattox said Monday
he does not believe the Supreme
Court’s decision to consider the
safety and effectiveness of drugs
used in executions will delay any
executions in Texas.
Mattox said he expects the
high court to “rule quickly” in fa
vor of the 11 states that use lethal
injections to carry out death sen
tences.
The Supreme Court decided
Monday to review a lower court
ruling ordering the Food and
Drug Administration to deter
mine whether the drugs cause
“unusual” pain and suffering
during execution.
Since the lower court ruling in
October 1983, two Texas inmates
have been executed by lethal in
jection.
“The Supreme Court very
clearly expressed itself in the
O’Bryan case,” said Mattox.
“Therefore, we do not see the de
cision today as another major
stumbling block to carrying out
Texas’ death penalty statute.”
“As a result of the FDA’s inac
tion,” Judge Skelly Wright wrote last
October, “(prisoners) face the risk of
cruel executions and are deprived of
the FDA’s expert judgment as to the
effectiveness of the drugs used for
lethal injection.”
“Even a slight error in dosage or
administration can leave a prisoner
conscious put paralyzed while dying,
a sentient witness of his or her own
slow, lingering asphyxiation,”
Wright wrote.
The lethal-injection method uses
a combination of drugs that first in
duce a coma, then halt breathing.
About 200 of the nearly 1,400
prisoners on Death Row nationwide
face execution by lethal injection.
The injections are used in Arkansas,
Idaho, Illinois, Montana, New Jer
sey, New Mexico, North Carolina,
Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wash
ington. Some states give a choice.
Inmates in Oklahoma and Texas
brought suit demanding the FDA in
vestigate and certify that the drugs
used are suited for their purpose.
They noted the agency took time to
assure they were safe for lab experi
ments with animals.
The appeals court, 2-1, ordered
the FDA investigation. But the gov
ernment appealed, and Chief Justice
Warren Burger stayed the order
pending the high court’s decision on
whether to hear the case.
Three men have been executed in
America by lethal injection — in
Texas and North Carolina — since
the appeals court ruled on Oct. 14,
1983.
Charlie Brooks, pul to death in
Texas in December 1982, was the
first person in the nation executed
by lethal injection. He look only
seven minutes to die.
But James David Autry, executed
in Texas March 14, took 15 minutes
to die after the combination of drugs
were first given to him.
Dr. L.D. Masters, the physician
who pronounced Autry dead, said
Autry was given a diluted solution of
the drugs for a longer period.
Nine minutes into the procedure,
Autry shrugged his shoulders and
made a gesture toward the warden
indicating nothing was happening.
Less than a minute later, he expe
rienced about 20 seconds of muscle
spasms in his legs and then became
lifeless. He was pronounced dead
four minutes later.
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Gifted students
like A&M camp
By JUDY OLIVER
Reporter
How about a summer camp
with astronauts and architects,
marine biologists and veterinary
scientists? That’s what is offered
at Texas A&M’s Galveston Island
Adventure, a camp for above-av
erage children who want a close
look at the world of professions.
Dr. William Nash, who began
the camp four summers ago, is di
rector of the Texas A&M Gifted
and Talented Institute, which
sponsors the camp for students 11
to 16 years old. He will be presi
dent of the National Association
for Gifted Children in 1985.
“Studies of adult creative
achievers frequently report that
individuals who become leaders
and innovators in their field often
fell in love with that field of study
at a fairly young age and pursued
it with intensity over the years,”
Nash says. “We try to provide an
exciting adventure in these fields
of study to allow students a
chance to fall in love with one.”
The camp will be the first time
many of the participants have
been really challenged intellec
tually, Nash said.
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school settings aren’t really chal
lenged and breeze through mak
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effort,” he said. “Then they re
ceive scholarships to outstanding
universities and are forced to
compete. Some of them don’t
handle it very well and even flunk
out.”
The first group of 165 campers
arrived Sunday at Texas A&M
University at Galveston to explore
marine biology and microcom
puters, Nash said.
The campers will spend most
of their time on field trips, he
said.
Marine biology students will
gain -an understanding of nature
through collecting specimens and
studying sand and oyster reefs,
Nash said.
Two other sessions will be held
July 8-28 and July 15-28 for
campers interested in journalism,
architecture, space science and
veterinary medicine.
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