Botched Execution In Arizona Lasts Nearly Two Hours

Posted by | July 23, 2014 23:15 | Filed under: News Behaving Badly Politics Top Stories


It took nearly two hours to kill Joseph Rudolph Wood. His lawyers tried to get a court to stop the execution but, after writhing in pain for two hours, he died before a court could act.

Wood, 55, was convicted in 1989 of killing his girlfriend and her father. His execution came after days of back-and-forth between courts after he claimed that Arizona’s secret sourcing of its lethal injection drugs violated the First Amendment. From NBC News:

An appeals panel agreed with him, but the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the stay of execution. The Arizona Supreme Court briefly delayed the execution on Wednesday morning, but ultimately gave the state the green light.

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Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Cheston Catalano

Cheston Catalano is a Kentucky-based journalist whose work has been featured in the Chattanooga Times Free Press and the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle. He is a long-time contributor to Liberaland.

35 responses to Botched Execution In Arizona Lasts Nearly Two Hours

  1. Pistol-Packing July 23rd, 2014 at 23:43

    I know many people here dont agree with the Death penalty. I actually do. Personally, this could have been handled with about $10 worth of material, and call it a day.

  2. Pistol-Packing July 23rd, 2014 at 23:43

    I know many people here dont agree with the Death penalty. I actually do. Personally, this could have been handled with about $10 worth of material, and call it a day.

  3. jasperjava July 23rd, 2014 at 23:51

    The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution:
    “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

    Massive fail.
    End this inhuman travesty now.

  4. jasperjava July 23rd, 2014 at 23:51

    The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution:
    “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

    Massive fail.
    End this inhuman travesty now.

  5. Portia A. Boulger July 24th, 2014 at 00:19

    So wrong! Where is our society’s civility? Please vote! Your vote directly affects who makes the laws and sets policy. PLEASE vote!

    • fahvel July 24th, 2014 at 03:04

      sweet thought till you consider what kind of thing decides to be a politician rather than a person who cares for their neighbor.

  6. Portia A. Boulger July 24th, 2014 at 00:19

    So wrong! Where is our society’s civility? Please vote! Your vote directly affects who makes the laws and sets policy. PLEASE vote!

    • fahvel July 24th, 2014 at 03:04

      sweet thought till you consider what kind of thing decides to be a politician rather than a person who cares for their neighbor.

  7. Dwendt44 July 24th, 2014 at 00:27

    With all the magical drugs available, you’d think they could find one or a mix that works as it is supposed to.

    A hot shot of Heroin would work if they’d use it.

    • fahvel July 24th, 2014 at 03:02

      and would be far far from cruel but certainly unusual – it might actually increase the homocide rate.

    • Budda July 24th, 2014 at 08:15

      We put cats and dogs done more easily. Maybe they should talk to a Veterinarian.

  8. Dwendt44 July 24th, 2014 at 00:27

    With all the magical drugs available, you’d think they could find one or a mix that works as it is supposed to.

    A hot shot of Heroin would work if they’d use it.

    • fahvel July 24th, 2014 at 03:02

      and would be far far from cruel but certainly unusual – it might actually increase the homocide rate.

    • Budda July 24th, 2014 at 08:15

      We put cats and dogs done more easily. Maybe they should talk to a Veterinarian.

  9. NW10 July 24th, 2014 at 00:34

    Until we end the death penalty as a nation, we will never be able to honesty say we are a civilized nation. We are in the sweet company of Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Afghanistan, and North Korea as far as countries that allow the death penalty on its people go.

    • Elliot J. Stamler July 24th, 2014 at 20:22

      The only good thing about Texas is it kills its convicted murderers. People like you are the enablers of murderers.

      • jasperjava July 25th, 2014 at 07:23

        The death penalty IS murder, legalized murder.

        Therefore, *you’re* the one who enables murderers.

  10. (((NW10,PATRIOT! ✓ᵛᵉʳᶦᶠᶦᵉᵈ))) July 24th, 2014 at 00:34

    Until we end the death penalty as a nation, we will never be able to honesty say we are a civilized nation. We are in the sweet company of Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Afghanistan, and North Korea as far as countries that allow the death penalty on its people go.

    • Elliot J. Stamler July 24th, 2014 at 20:22

      The only good thing about Texas is it kills its convicted murderers. People like you are the enablers of murderers.

      • jasperjava July 25th, 2014 at 07:23

        The death penalty IS murder, legalized murder.

        Therefore, *you’re* the one who enables murderers.

  11. Mark Miller July 24th, 2014 at 01:05

    Just shoot this guy in the head and get it overwith. He looks like a scumbag.

    • Herb Sarge Phelps July 24th, 2014 at 01:30

      hmmm I might not think you look like I want so should we shoot you in the head and get it over with? Oh wait that isn’t how the law is suppose to work so I guess either you are just not respectful of human life or just cold-hearted Which is it?

    • jasperjava July 24th, 2014 at 07:57

      Wanna see what a scumbag REALLY looks like? Check the nearest mirror.

    • Carla Akins July 24th, 2014 at 08:43

      Gosh, I wonder why they even bothered with a trial – with his looks and all.

  12. Mark Miller July 24th, 2014 at 01:05

    Just shoot this guy in the head and get it overwith. He looks like a scumbag.

    • Herb Sarge Phelps July 24th, 2014 at 01:30

      hmmm I might not think you look like I want so should we shoot you in the head and get it over with? Oh wait that isn’t how the law is suppose to work so I guess either you are just not respectful of human life or just cold-hearted Which is it?

    • jasperjava July 24th, 2014 at 07:57

      Wanna see what a scumbag REALLY looks like? Check the nearest mirror.

    • Carla Akins July 24th, 2014 at 08:43

      Gosh, I wonder why they even bothered with a trial – with his looks and all.

    • Elliot J. Stamler July 24th, 2014 at 20:20

      You are so right..Mark…this is such weepy bullshit about how to humanely execute murderers. You can do it just as you said—it is virtually painless because death is instantaneous. Feeling pain is a function of time and if the time you feel it is, say, l/100th of a second you effectively feel nothing. One bullet in the brain and that’s that. The weepy leftist jerks like jasper java and herb phelps ought to join a “I Weep For Murderers” society. They personify what the leftists are like who have infiltrated into responsible liberalism.

      • jasperjava July 25th, 2014 at 07:20

        I thought at first that your post was a parody, for reals.

        You do realize that you’re defending murdering someone based on how some guy perceives how he “looks”.

        I’m just glad that most of the civilized world has evolved past your barbarism. Your ilk is almost extinct, and we can all be glad of that.

  13. Herb Sarge Phelps July 24th, 2014 at 01:38

    I live in Mesa Az. so I have been following this story. I did radio here at KPHX so I get emails from the Governor’s office still and today she sent an email about this. The last statement in it said (not quoting) he was put to death lawfully for sure. I think she might have a hard time proving that one. Isn’t there something called protection against cruel and inhumane punishment? So wouldn’t that apply?
    Also it has cost the taxpayers more already to kill him than to put him in prison for the rest of his life. Now with the botched murder we have lowered ourselves here in Arizona to the level worse than the crime this guy was convicted of, so why should we feel it was lawful. I sure don’t and once more I am embarrassed by this state.

  14. Herb Sarge Phelps July 24th, 2014 at 01:38

    I live in Mesa Az. so I have been following this story. I did radio here at KPHX so I get emails from the Governor’s office still and today she sent an email about this. The last statement in it said (not quoting) he was put to death lawfully for sure. I think she might have a hard time proving that one. Isn’t there something called protection against cruel and inhumane punishment? So wouldn’t that apply?
    Also it has cost the taxpayers more already to kill him than to put him in prison for the rest of his life. Now with the botched murder we have lowered ourselves here in Arizona to the level worse than the crime this guy was convicted of, so why should we feel it was lawful. I sure don’t and once more I am embarrassed by this state.

  15. jasperjava July 25th, 2014 at 07:20

    I thought at first that your post was a parody, for reals.

    You do realize that you’re defending murdering someone based on how some guy perceives how he “looks”.

    I’m just glad that most of the civilized world has evolved past your barbarism. Your ilk is almost extinct, and we can all be glad of that.

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