Lengthy Arizona execution rekindles debate over appropriate death penalty methods

SAN FRANCISCO – A third execution by lethal injection has gone awry in six months, renewing debate over whether there is a foolproof way for government to humanely kill condemned criminals.

For those death penalty opponents, any killing is an unnecessarily cruel punishment. Time and money spent developing a humane method are wasted.

Those who favor the death penalty believe the most heinous crimes deserve the ultimate penalty. While many favor the most humane execution method possible, they reject the idea that a few minutes or hours of suffering by the criminal should send government back to the drawing board. Victims suffered much more, they say.