Socialist Action /July 2000
FIGHTBACK
by Sylvia Weinstein
How do they Die?
Gary Graham (Shaka Sankofa) was put to death at
6:49 p.m. on July 22 by lethal injection.
What is lethal injection? Here is a description
from Zolo Angona Azania, who is on death row at Indiana State Prison:
"The extinguishment of a human life by lethal
injection is dressed up as a medical procedure which is actually a cold,
calculated, ritual murder.
"The condemned prisoner is strapped to the
death gurney. The first drug is sodium pentothal. A saline solution is then
used to ensure the tube is cleared out so the drugs won't mix because sometimes
there's a chemical reaction where they can clog. The third one is pancuronium
bromide. That is the muscle relaxer.
"The fourth syringe then pushes another saline
solution through. The fifth syringe is potassium chloride. That is the toxic
drug that stops the heart.
"Following the completion of the injection
process, and a five-minute waiting period, the blinds to the witness area
will be closed and the Physician advised.
"If the offender's heart has not stopped,
the lights shall be dimmed, blinds opened, and the Superintendent or designee
shall order the injecture procedure to be repeated.
"After this procedure is completed, the blinds
will once again be closed, and the Physician will again check for signs
of life. The Physician shall then report his findings to the Superintendent
or designee."
That's what this government did to Gary Graham.
He was 17 years old when he was arrested for the crime of robbery, not murder,
which came later. He was an abused child; his mother spent months in mental
institutions. His father was a chronic alcoholic who spend years in prison.
Gary Graham committed stupid crimes of robbery
and rape but he did not commit the crime for which he was executed.
Only one witness said she had seen him at the scene
of the crime; she had seen him for three seconds from 30 feet away and in
the dark. Six witnesses said that Gary was not the killer and four of those
witnesses passed a polygraph test.
Gary Graham is an example of the injustice system
gone mad. The death penalty serves no purpose except to intimidate and threaten
young men of color, and, in fact, the whole of the working class.
There is no one person, no matter how murderous
or dangerous, who could possibly murder more people than this government
has in the past few years. That includes Colombia, Iraq, the Third World
countries-all of whom have felt the terror of U.S. bombs and military might.
In fact, the refrain, "Rockets red glare/Bombs
bursting in air" is an apt anthem for imperialism's strongest strong
arm, the USA. As Martin Luther King said, "The greatest purveyor of
violence in the world today is my own government".
To all who have marched against the death penalty
and to save the lives of countless Gary Grahams, don't be discouraged. We
have begun the long march to justice-and to an end of the death penalty.
Your acts represent real courage and are a testimony
to the true nature of humankind, to the true brotherhood and sisterhood
of everyone.
While this government stands in disgrace, you who
marched against the death penalty stand shoulder to shoulder with our foremothers
and fathers who struggled for human rights for all. We will win!
Socialist Action /July 2000 |