Revisionist History: The Alabama Murders The Alabama Murders - Part 5: Cruel and Unusual
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Oct 23, 2025 In November 2022, Kenneth Smith faced a controversial execution attempt that raised serious ethical questions. The podcast delves into Smith's life before conviction and how a judge overrode a jury's life sentence to impose death. Experts discuss the flawed lethal injection protocols in Alabama and past botched executions. Smith's harrowing firsthand account reveals the chaos of the execution chamber. Following the failed attempt, state officials grapple with public outcry and the morality of retrying. A gripping exploration of justice, failure, and human rights.
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Protocol Versus Practice
- Alabama's execution protocol treats lethal injection as a precise medical procedure, but it's often performed by nonmedical staff.
- That mismatch creates risks when veins are hard to access and skilled clinicians won't participate.
IV Access Is Technically Demanding
- Inexperienced teams face technical difficulty inserting IVs into terrified, dehydrated inmates.
- The execution environment compounds difficulty because prisoners don't cooperate and staff lack routine clinical experience.
Use Skilled Clinicians And Ultrasound
- Use ultrasound and trained clinicians for difficult venous access instead of crude techniques like cut downs.
- Limit execution-team tasks to personnel with proven vascular access skills to reduce harm.