A line of curtains swung open in a dark room of state witnesses. Bucklew was in a room next door positioned on a gurney with a sheet over all but his head. He did not appear to say anything as the drug began working its way through his system. A few wiggles of the toes and a couple turns of the head was it, no choking or other sounds were heard or seen.* * *
Former Cape Girardeau County Prosecutor Morley Swingle witnessed Tuesday's execution. He sat in the room with his arms crossed most of the time staring straight ahead at Bucklew.* * *Last week, death penalty opponents mobilized to try and convince Gov. Mike Parson to block Bucklew's execution. They argued that Bucklew's rare brain condition could lead to a brutal death.
Missouri NAACP President Nimrod Chapel was among the group. He said Bucklew's health warrants the man serving a life sentence or getting released from prison because Chapel said Bucklew is beyond the capacity to harm others.
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Chapel said an international human rights investigation could be on the horizon for Missouri for executing Bucklew in the condition the inmate was in.
"Well, that man (Chapel) now has egg all over his face because this was a peaceful death," says Swingle. "Russell Bucklew fell asleep very gently - a complete contrast to the violent, brutal death he inflicted on his victim, Michael Sanders. Everybody who was making that argument was disingenuous. They were not telling the truth. Well, maybe some of them believed it but clearly those of us that were aware of the facts knew that this was unlikely to be a gruesome death. It was probably going to be exactly as it turned out - that he got a shot and fell asleep."
Regarding the contrast alluded to by Mr. Swingle, a far more painful way to die is to be shot in the chest and left to bleed to death. That is how Michael Sanders died in 1996, at the hands of Russell Bucklew.
Hanging may be horrific to some people but when done by an expert it is painless. If it was still practiced I believe the murder rate would decline. If I am right hanging should be seen as a net benefit to lives saved.
Whatever its intrinsic merits, I do not see hanging making a comeback. "Politics is the art of the possible." (Attributed to Bismarck)