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Amnesty Condemns Florida Killer's Execution
 

MIAMI (Reuters) - The execution of a Florida killer who  complained
he was "butchered" by his executioners is  compelling evidence that
the United States should abolish the  death penalty, Amnesty
International USA said. 
Bennie Demps, 49, was put to death on Wednesday at Florida  State
Prison near Starke for the fatal stabbing of a fellow  prisoner. In a
deathbed diatribe he blasted prison officials for  their handling of
his execution by lethal injection. 

Florida's administration of capital punishment has come  under heavy
fire in the past and has been the subject of  numerous court
challenges. The state switched to lethal  injection after several
bloody or fiery executions in the  state's electric chair. 

Demps was the third Florida inmate to die by lethal  injection since
it was instituted this year. 

"This case indicates ... that lethal injection is no less a  human
rights violation than electrocution," AIUSA executive  director
William Schulz said in a statement issued late  Thursday. "All
execution methods are gruesome and can go  awry." 

Florida prison officials have defended the execution, which  was
delayed for more than half an hour while medical personnel  searched
for a suitable vein to administer the lethal drugs. 

"They butchered me back there. I was in a lot of pain,"  Demps told
witnesses in the prison death chamber before  executioners released
the deadly dose. 

His attorney, George Schaefer, said in a letter to local  prosecutors
that Demps complained the executioners had cut him  in the groin and
leg in their search for a vein. 

Demps, who was serving a life sentence for a 1971 double  shooting
murder when he was sentenced to die in 1978 for the  murder of Alfred
Sturgis, was not pronounced dead until 6:53  p.m. EDT. The execution
had been scheduled for 6 p.m. 

Amnesty International USA called for an independent  investigation of
the execution, including an autopsy. Demps, a  Muslim, had requested
that no autopsy be performed because of  his religion and the local
state attorney's office said it did  not plan an investigation. 

State officials said on Thursday the execution was carried  out
according to protocol and said they did not plan a review. 

Florida was roundly criticized for the bloody execution of  Allen Lee
Davis in July 1999. Witnesses heard muffled screams  from the death
chamber and blood flowed from the inmate's nose  as a lethal jolt of
electricity was applied. 

In March 1997 flames shot from the head of inmate Pedro  Medina, the
second time an electrocution produced fire in the  electric chair
known as "Old Sparky." 

The Medina execution prompted a year-long halt to executions  while
courts reviewed whether using the electric chair violated  the U.S.
constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. 

Although the courts ultimately upheld electrocution, Florida  in
January made lethal injection its primary method of execution  with
electrocution an option at the inmate's request. 

Amnesty International said 108 nations have abolished the  death
penalty "in law or practice." 

"At a time when the United States is scrutinizing the  administration
of the death penalty, an incident like this  highlights Amnesty
International's belief that the death penalty  is the ultimate human
rights violation," AIUSA southern region  director Ajamu Baraka said.