There is little doubt that Joy Stewart, the 22 year old victim who was raped and murdered by Dennis McGuire back in 1989 suffered far more terror and pain than her killer did when he was finally executed by lethal injection late last night. But the new, two drug cocktail used by the state of Ohio has elicited a debate over just what constitutes "humane" executions. It took at least 15 minutes for McGuire to die. And his struggles for air presented a grisly scene in the execution chamber for his family, and the family of Joy Stewart. Manufacturers refuse to sell the drug used in previous executions - penobarbital - for the purpose of state sponsored killings. This forced the state to use a cocktail of midazolam, a sedative, and hydromorphone, a morphine derivative. The effects were not as hoped: The chemicals began flowing about 10:29 a.m., and for a while, McGuire was quiet, closing his eyes and turning his face up and away from his family. However, about 10:34 a.m., he...(Read Full Post)