There is a precision to the execution process that is both comforting and unsettling.
When Jose High was executed on Nov. 6, 2001, at the age of 43, every minute of his final days was strictly scripted and recorded. Everyone was tested on his or her roles and the rules to be followed, including witnesses from the media.
I was among them.
After arriving at the prison that afternoon, each of us received a set of instructions. There would be no interviews with any of the guards or other witnesses. There was to be no communication, no talking at all once inside the chamber.
Mr. High had been separated from the other death row inmates 48 hours earlier. At 9 a.m. he was allowed visitors. At 3 p.m. he received a physical and a new set of clothes. He then received his last meal and was allowed to make a final, recorded statement.
At 6:40 p.m. he was strapped to a gurney. Elsewhere inside the prison, the witnesses were herded into small vans, the media witnesses separated from the others -- the prosecutor, law enforcement, the attorney general and prison officials. The family members of the victims Mr. High had killed were at the prison but they weren't allowed to witness the execution. The vans headed to the small building where Mr. High would be put to death.
And that's when the carefully scripted event went off the page for 15 minutes. The prison staff couldn't get an IV line properly inserted. A doctor had to cut into Mr. High to insert the IV, and an EKG was connected so the doctor could monitor his heart rate.
Eventually the witnesses were led into a small, windowless room. There were several rows of benches.
In front, behind glass, we watched Mr. High die. It took nine minutes. Through most of it, Mr. High was unconscious. The first drug pushed through the IV sedated him, a second drug paralyzed his muscles and a third stopped his heart. When the EKG monitor revealed a flat line, a doctor pronounced death.
The witnesses were led out of the small building to the waiting vans, which took them back to the main prison. The prison spokesman read Mr. High's final statement.
Mr. High was sentenced to death for the July 26, 1976, murder of 11-year-old Bonnie Bulloch in Taliaferro County. Mr. High and two others kidnapped the boy and his stepfather after a robbery. They tried to kill stepfather, Henry Phillips, too, but he survived and helped law enforcement identify the killers.
Mr. High, Judson Ruffin, Nathan Brown and Alphonzo Morgan would be connected to the Aug. 20, 1976, rape, kidnapping and murders of Willean Hall, 36, and Leroy Linwood, 30, and the Aug. 22, 1976, murder of John C. Gray, 55. They were later caught after kidnapping a young couple. The young man was able to get away and go for help. His 16-year-old girlfriend was raped before she could be rescued.
The other killers are serving life in prison. Mr. High was the only one whose death sentence was not reversed on appeal.
Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.
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Why give a physical? What if they found he had a hernia, would they delay the killing?
The Death Penalty is a violation of the Eight Amendment of the US Constitution, which most civilized countries and many US states have recognized is extreme cruelty. Those states, especially in the deep south, are the main supporters of killing people. That region has a history of unequal treatment and blatant violations of Constitutional Rights, so what group is most likely to suffer injustices and harsh sentences? U guessed it...an example is the Susan Smith killer, who drove her two boys into a pond to drown, lied about who did it, but received a life sentence. That was a clear death penalty case because S.C. has no problem killing people, but not Smith. Why? Again, obvious disparate treatment, but the charade continues. Christian nation, eh? With Christians like these, who needs sinners...
justus you are a maroon!.......not only should this man have died his death was way too kind for the vile animal that he was.
Where is Alphonzo Morgan?
This animal should have died as the 11 year old died-bound hand and foot,thrown on the ground and shot with a shotgun.I was in 4th street jail when he was there.I listened as he and nathan brown bragged about killing these two(they thought that both had died)They thought they were real bad because they could bind an 11 year old and shoot him with a shotgun while he lay on the ground.This is the person that justus4 begs us to show mercy.
Some people are just plain evil, and they deserve to die. Lethal injection is too humane for these animals, bring back hangings, firing squads, and beheadings. Their victims have to suffer through immense torture, both physical and mental, and if they survive they are scarred for life. These animals who care nothing of human life deserve to die and die quickly, not taking 15-20 years costing tax payers millions.
bettyboop: what is a "maroon?"
I think they were trying to say "moron". Talking about violating someone's Eighth Amendment rights, these hoodlums violated these victims rights as well.
Why do we go through such a process to execute. Once upon a time they were hung on the gallow as soon as declared guilty. Tax dollars (money we work for) go to the care of these murderers while they sit in jail. And sorry folks, you lose constitutional rights when you commit a crime and are imprisoned. Justus, death row by injection is far from cruelty; they die a very pleasant death - more pleasant than many victims died. Do you really want them sitting in jail the remainder of their life while you work and take care of them or maybe you want them on the streets; you or your family could be the next victim.
With all the appeals it costs more to execute than to keep in jail for a lifetime. Maybe the attorneys like it that way because the income never stops while the person is alive.
Sickening.. I still cannot believe how much of a procedure it is to kill someone on death row... Not to mention how much it costs. We need to jsut shoot them in the head and be done with it..
justus4, of probably 500 of your comments that I've read through the last few years maybe 1-2 made logical sense. Other than that you make yourself sound like a fool. There is help out there, you ought to think about it.
Its weird how people have so much to say about a criminal's rights...they lost their rights when they did the crime, and were convicted. too easy.
LOL... maroon is an "acceptable" TOS term.......I guess you have never seen the cartoon..huh?.......(sigh) (it's really hard when ya gotta explain them) If I had wanted to say "moron" I would have......
Those like justus4 that believe the death penalty is "extreme cruelty" forget the extreme cruelty these criminals put their victims through. The death penalty is justus.
Well, I am glad that there is an appeal time. There should be time to be sure that all evidence is presented properly. There have been numerous people sentenced to prison only to find later that they were innocent. It would be terrible to expedite the execution of someone and then find out that they were innocent. Imagine the law suit in that case.
I agree with the gallows. Hang then shoot with a shotgun. Right after the guilty verdict.
Yeah, what is a maroon? As for the human debris who committed these crimes, any type of punishment is too nice for them. Death sentences should be carried out immediately.March them out the courthouse door and straight to the guillotine!
justus is, as usual, full of crap. The death penalty is not a violation of the 8th Amendment, but he/she/it would know that if he/she/it actually took the time to READ the Amendment. And..since only 15 states (and the District of Columbia) out of 50 (or 57 if you believe Obama) have abolished the death penalty it's hardly a 'deep South' thing.
How did I know the second post was from justus4 even before reading his name? That boy is off his meds!
The death penalty is perfectly constitutional. The constitution protects us from cruel AND unusual punishment, not cruel OR unusual punishment. Is execution cruel? perhaps. But is it unusual? No! Execution is not unusual. Nearly all societies throughout history have engaged in executions.
Eighth Amendment my butt. The saint scheduled for execution in 10 minutes lived 14 years longer than he should have. Why oh why are we paying to support these criminals for years and years, and, years after appeal #3? Remember Sadam Hussein? Captured and tried and the appeals process and hanged until dead inside of 3 years. That's how you do it.
The one or two of Justus' posts that made sense weren't written by him, but by Big Daddy.
Bugs Bunny calls people "maroons". That's where it comes from.
Why a new set of clothes? Weren't the ones he wore all day good enough to die in?
The brilliant JUSTUS would be singing a different tune if one of his friends or relatives were murdered.