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[Brakke]

UPDATE:

Stay of Execution

With just hours to go, a federal court has halted the execution of Texas inmate Robert Campbell.

A court ruled that Robert Campbell's lawyers could not fairly prepare a claim of ineligibility for the death penalty.

http://www.gpb.org/news/2014/05/13/in-final-moments-federal-court-halts-texas-execution

ORIGINAL OP:

Some cause for concern, beyond the usual.

James Robert Campbell is slated to be executed at 6 p.m. with an injection of pentobarbital obtained by what is known as a compounding pharmacy. This is a pharmacy not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the state is not required to reveal the identity of this pharmacy, even under seal to the court.

James Robert Campbell was involved in a series of armed carjackings in the 90s, and is convicted of robbing, raping, and then murdering a woman during one of these incidents.

James Robert Campbell has been diagnosed as "mildly mentally retarded".

Testing showed Campbell had "applied academic skills consistent with an individual midway through fifth grade," according to court documents, and while he was able to count and add change, he was inconsistent "calculating change from a purchase."

He also asked a friend for help reading a non-digital watch, and an informant told the court Campbell could not read a car's gas gauge and "always had to ask others whether there was enough fuel to get to the destination," the documents say.

Dr. Leslie Rosenstein, a clinical neuropsychologist, diagnosed Campbell with "mild mental retardation," saying his performance on recent tests was consistent with his standardized intelligence test scores when he was a child, according to court documents.

Which mental retardation may not have been properly accounted for at trial:

Campbell's defense team alleges the Texas Department of Criminal Justice was aware of Campbell's low test scores, yet told his defense team in 2003 that his only IQ test, 13 years prior, yielded a score of 84, well above the threshold for mental retardation.

But as Judge Elsa Alcala wrote last week in her dissent to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals' 5-4 decision, a defense team later learned the Department of Criminal Justice administered a test in 1992, on which Campbell scored a 71. Alcala described it as "a score that, after applying the standard of margin of error, would indicate mental retardation."

Lower court judge isn't happy about the method of execution:

The horrific narrative of Oklahoma’s botched execution of Clayton Lockett on April 29, 2014 requires sober reflection on the manner in which this nation administers the ultimate punishment. While the law currently does not permit injunctive relief, this Court urges the Fifth Circuit to reconsider its jurisprudence that seems to shield crucial elements of the execution process from open inquiry.

Texas accounts for 40% of America's executions.

Execution set for 6 p.m. (Central time) May 13, 2014.

Sources:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/20...xecution-texas-plans-to-kill-another-tonight/
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/13/justice/texas-execution-robert-james-campbell/index.html
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/oagNews/release.php?id=4732

 

[Arkos]

I'm very alarmed by the fact that states are executing people without disclosing the means of execution.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Testing showed Campbell had "applied academic skills consistent with an individual midway through fifth grade,"

What's the problem, he could be a student-athlete at the University of North Carolina, and they're ranked as the 30th best school in the country by USNews...

Looking at 183 football and basketball players between 2004 and 2012, Willingham found that 8 percent were reading below a fourth-grade level and 60 percent were between a fourth- and eighth-grade reading level.

 

[Monocle]

I feel safer already.

 

[Borgnine]

Don't forget, you can read everyone's last statements here:

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_executed_offenders.html

 

[Salmonax]

I didn't know there were black ops pharmacies. Somehow that doesn't seem like a good idea.

 

[slit]

The title sounds like a spectator sport event announcement. OP you should have added:

BE THERE!!!

 

[Snkfanatic]

Don't forget, you can read everyone's last statements here:

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_executed_offenders.html

This is depressing as hell...

 

[Leunam]

This is a pharmacy not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the state is not required to reveal the identity of this pharmacy, even under seal to the court.

My stance on capital punishment aside, this just sounds immensely fucked up.

 

[HerbertFish]

I feel like I should get the popcorn ready and turn on tv with that title.

 

[Winterblink]

I'm very alarmed by the fact that states are executing people without disclosing the means of execution.

Why does that alarm you? Serious question, not trying to troll or start a fight.

 

[GungHo]

I didn't know there were black ops pharmacies. Somehow that doesn't seem like a good idea.

It isn't a good idea. The guy in Oklahoma who died horribly two weeks ago was also given these compounded pharmaceuticals since "the good stuff" is no longer available. "Blew a vein", my ass.

Why does that alarm you? Serious question, not trying to troll or start a fight.

If you're gonna give someone the ultimate penalty, I think you should demonstrate ultimate transparency.

 

[triplestation]

is it 8 episodes this season or 10

 

[Sinatar]

If you're gonna give someone the ultimate penalty, I think you should demonstrate ultimate transparency.

Yea but it's the same reason executioners used to wear hoods. If the pharmacy's were revealed, they could be targetted.

 

[sn00zer]

So what did he do?

 

[nateeasy]

If you kill someone in Texas they going to kill you back.

 

[siddhu33]

This seems really shady...but of course, it's an execution going to be done using unregistered pharmacies using unregistered and unregulated substances...what could go wrong?

 

[PhantomFear]

My stance on capital punishment aside, this just sounds immensely fucked up.

Agreed. In addition to the question of quality of the substance used, who only know what sort of corruption goes on here. Without knowing the pharmacy, it's impossible to know who owns it.

 

[Protein]

Thread title reminded me of Starship Troopers.

Execution tonight at 6. All net. All channels. Would you like to know more?

 

[Orayn]

It's 2014 and the state can kill a man with the IQ of a ten year old using secret drugs from undisclosed sources. This definitely isn't fucked up on every conceivable level. God bless America!

 

[xbhaskarx]

So what did he do?

It's right there in the OP:

James Robert Campbell was involved in a series of armed carjackings in the 90s, and is convicted of robbing, raping, and then murdering a woman during one of these incidents.

 

[Herr K]

What did he even d...

James Robert Campbell was involved in a series of armed carjackings in the 90s, and is convicted of robbing, raping, and then murdering a woman during one of these incidents.

Oh...gotta pay the price, I guess.

 

[GungHo]

Yea but it's the same reason executioners used to wear hoods. If the pharmacy's were revealed, they could be targetted.

But if they fuck the guy up and he's writhing in pain for 40 minutes, or longer, like the other guy, they can't even go after the people who screwed up. They could just be putting antifreeze and turpentine in there for all anyone knows.

 

[velociraptor]

But if they fuck the guy up and he's writhing in pain for 40 minutes, or longer, like the other guy, they can't even go after the people who screwed up. They could just be putting antifreeze and turpentine in there for all anyone knows.

He raped and murdered a woman.

 

[Kyuur]

It's 2014 and the state can kill a man with the IQ of a ten year old using secret drugs from undisclosed sources. This definitely isn't fucked up on every conceivable level. God bless America!

A man who robbed, raped and murdered another person.

 

[GungHo]

He raped and murdered a woman.

I understand that, but that doesn't mean you get to use him as a goddamn chemistry set.

 

[Glass Rebel]

I see the US is slowly trying to reintroduce euthanasia.

 

[Phobophile]

I didn't know there were black ops pharmacies. Somehow that doesn't seem like a good idea.

Sounds like the DEA

I see the US is slowly trying to reintroduce euthanasia.

Man, this almost sounds like eugenics.

 

[shuri]

It's 2014 and the state can kill a man with the IQ of a ten year old using secret drugs from undisclosed sources. This definitely isn't fucked up on every conceivable level. God bless America!

I wonder if the woman was thinking the same as he was raping her? Or when he told her to run and shot her twice after raping her? Awww poor low iq man pls understand! Or when he paraded around in her car for a couple of days, giving rides (and her clothes and rings) to his buddies and his girlfriend on the days following the crime? Sometimes people just go too far and there's no way to fix them. He wasted away his humanity that night

But I just wish the execution method was more clean. Those mystery mixtures are making things worse.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

So what did he do?

The stuff in the OP

 

[Mammoth Jones]

I'm very alarmed by the fact that states are executing people without disclosing the means of execution.

Agreed. Completely.

This is wrong.

 

[foxtrot3d]

Hopefully the Governor will stop the execution, though it seems unlikely in Texas.

 

[Daft_Cat]

Don't forget, you can read everyone's last statements here:

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_executed_offenders.html

Holy shit. The state of Texas murders a lot of people!

 

[nicoga3000]

The IQ of someone who robbed, raped, and murdered a woman does not impact my opinion on if he or she should be sentenced to death or not.

E: I have no shame in admitting that I lean more for than against the death penalty. That makes me a terrible person in a lot of GAF member's eyes I'm sure.

 

[King Cobra]

Good, better this than to waste tax payer dollars keeping him alive.

 

[Freakinchair]

Maybe we should tell him about the rabbits again.

 

[ronito]

I didn't know there were black ops pharmacies. Somehow that doesn't seem like a good idea.

compounding pharmacies aren't necessarily within the realm of the FDA all the time, they don't just make drugs like this they make other drugs for tests and other things. It's not like they're "black ops" per se.

 

[Rebel Leader]

EDIT: nvm

 

[Orayn]

I wonder if the woman was thinking the same as he was raping her? Or when he told her to run and shot her twice after raping her? Awww poor low iq man pls understand! Or when he paraded around in her car for a couple of days, giving rides (and her clothes and rings) to his buddies and his girlfriend on the days following the crime?

I just wish the execution method was more clean. Those mystery mixtures are making things worse.

I'm not defending the guy or his actions, the Supreme Court has already ruled it unconstitutional to execute the mentally handicapped. States just arbitrarily ignore the ruling which is not really a good thing.

 

[Zee-Row]

Don't forget, you can read everyone's last statements here:

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_executed_offenders.html

I read the final statements but then i see their crimes and don't feel bad for them at all.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Yea but it's the same reason executioners used to wear hoods. If the pharmacy's were revealed, they could be targetted.

Targeted by anti death penalty protesters? Wouldn't most companies who provide the cocktails be used to this kind of thing by now?

 

[disappeared]

Don't forget, you can read everyone's last statements here:

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_executed_offenders.html

Fascinating reads.

 

[OrlanisWorks]

I read the final statements but then i see their crimes and don't feel bad for them at all.

You'd feel bad for at least one.

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_info/willinghamcameronlast.html

 

[distantmantra]

An IQ score alone can't be used to identify an individual as having an Intellectual Disability (the new term for MR). You need to take into account their adaptive life skills among many other factors.

 

[Daft_Cat]

An IQ score alone can't be used to identify an individual as having an Intellectual Disability (the new term for MR). You need to take into account their adaptive life skills among many other factors.

His adaptive life skills aren't good. Source: he's committed heinous crimes.

 

[Arthos]

But I just wish the execution method was more clean. Those mystery mixtures are making things worse.

This, honestly.

Good, better this than to waste tax payer dollars keeping him alive.

Doesn't it cost more to execute someone than it does to keep them alive/in prison? I might be getting things confused here.

 

[Kite]

Don't forget, you can read everyone's last statements here:

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_executed_offenders.html

Is there some website where i can read the last words of their victims? Pretty sure some didn't have time to make full statements and whatnot,

 

[J-Rod]

I knew a guy who had an IQ in the low 70's and received government assistance for it. You wouldn't even be able to tell he was classified as mildly retarded unless he told you. He was not close to being 10 years old mentally. He is aware of his own actions as much as anybody.

 

[Goliath]

I'm very alarmed by the fact that states are executing people without disclosing the means of execution.

If I understand correctly it's due to the fact that when they let the public know what the cocktail is, the places they buy the ingredients for the cocktails refuse to sell it to them. Usually these plants are in Europe.

 

[Orayn]

An IQ score alone can't be used to identify an individual as having an Intellectual Disability (the new term for MR). You need to take into account their adaptive life skills among many other factors.

He was still given the actual diagnosis as I can tell, the test scores were just one specific thing cited.