Ronald Phillips, convicted of the rape and murder of a 3-year-old girl, is scheduled to be executed Nov. 14. A court hearing may decide whether the new drug cocktail can be used.
Columbus, OH – 40-year-old Ronald Phillips is set to die by Ohio’s newly adopted lethal injection process. However, the physician who examined the death row inmate on October 18 was unable to locate any veins in his arms.
Phillips wryly commented that God hide his veins from the doctor, but his attorneys are using the experience to challenge his execution set for November 14. Phillips was convicted of the rape & murder of a three year old girl who was the daughter of his girlfriend. The offense occurred in 1993.
The inmate’s attorneys are arguing that the states newly adopted two-injection method of execution constitutes a new form of execution which they have a right to legally challenge. However, the time needed for the challenge is insufficient given his execution is occurring in less than a fortnight.
The state of Ohio is adamant that the switch to the two-injection method does not constitute a new form of execution thus making any delay unnecessary. The state’s attorney general stated that Phillip’s execution is something the state is going to do.
For his part, Phillips says he had ever had a fear of needles after being raised by addicts who often had he watch them shoot up drugs.
On The Web:
http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-death-row-inmate-doctor-couldnt-veins-164231659.html
