Sometimes I Hate Having My Worst Opinions Confirmed

This one, for example.

Per The Guardian:

The state of Oklahoma botched one execution and was forced to call off another on Tuesday when a disputed cocktail of drugs failed to kill a condemned prisoner who was left writhing on the gurney.

After the failure of a 20-minute attempt to execute him, Clayton Lockett was left to die of a heart attack in the execution chamber at the Oklahoma state penitentiary in McAlester. A lawyer said Lockett had effectively been "tortured to death."

No, I did not predict -- nor could I have reasonably predicted -- this particular outcome with respect to this particular victim at this particular time.

But such outcomes are inherent in allowing the state to not just kill people, but to do so a) under the protection of secrecy laws relating to personnel, purchases, procurement, etc., and b) using methods that approximate Junkie Russian Roulette in terms of concoction.

Oklahoma's governor has called for an "independent review" where "independent" means "conducted by people who work for me."

I think a different approach is in order -- the next execution protocol the governor signs off on should first undergo human trials. Let her and her cabinet draw straws for the honor of participation in said trials. If they think they've got it right before the whole executive branch is pushing up daisies, the remaining members, including the governor or her successor, can pass the ball to the legislature for expanded trials, maybe five or ten politicians at a time. Just to be sure, you know.

People who want the state to kill people should be willing to put some skin in the game.

I'm not always a big fan of Rachel Maddow, but she definitely covered the issue in detail tonight. If the embed works, you can watch it yourself in 3, 2, 1 ...