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Tina Curl in Sioux Falls to Watch Execution… and Torture?

By caheidelberger on 2012.10.29

Last updated on 2012.12.24

Thanks to the misguided charity and self-righteous bloodlust of others, Tina Curl is in Sioux Falls to carry out the useless theater of watching the state kill an evil man.

He watched her die and I am going to watch him die.... It means everything.... I ain't only doing it for me. I am doing it for Becky [Tina Curl, quoted by Alyssa Newcomb, "Mom Raises Money to Watch Daughter's Killer Die," ABCNews.com, October 28, 2012].

The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, in a move sure not to raise its popularity here, says the execution of Donald Moeller isn't just an unnecessary killing; it may be torture. The ACLU-SD is asking the federal court to unseal documents pertaining to our state's execution procedures.

The ACLU has asked the Federal District Court in South Dakota to unseal a series of documents relating to South Dakota's execution method. The case involves Donald Moeller who recently dropped any challenge to his execution after being on death row for 22 years. It is believed that the sealed documents contain important information regarding the lethal injection process used in South Dakota.

"Government secrecy around the death penalty is not a good thing and undermines the democratic values of open and accountable government. This is especially true when the situation involves something as controversial and severe as the death penalty," said Robert Doody, Executive Director for the ACLU of South Dakota. Since the issuing by the Federal Court of a Protective Order in July numerous documents have been completely sealed at the request of the South Dakota Attorney General.

Moeller is scheduled to be executed the week of October 28, 2012, by using a new one-drug lethal injection system. Moeller has been in solitary confinement for the past 22 years with infrequent visits by his attorneys. According to Court documents, when Moeller is taken out of his cell he is shackled and lead by a dog leash to the meeting room where he is chained to the wall for the duration of the meeting. Moeller has had almost no contact with the outside world for the past 22 years.

The most recent execution of Eric Roberts in South Dakota utilized the new South Dakota protocols the same method that will be utilized to execute Moeller. According to reports Eric Roberts turned purple and his heart continued to beat for 10 minutes after he stopped breathing. He also gasped for air.

"With the new drug protocol, the conditions of confinement on death row and the reports coming from the last execution we are very concerned why the Attorney General wants to keep the execution method a secret," Doody said.

For further information contact:
ACLU of South Dakota
605-332-2508

[press release, ACLU-SD, October 25, 2012]

I'm curious: to the extent that killing an unarmed, fully restrained prisoner can be humane, what's more humane: administering a drug that leaves the prisoner choking and alive for minutes, or lopping off the prisoner's head with a guillotine?

And whether Tuesday night's event is torture or mere killing, Mrs. Curl, are you sure you want to watch? You say you are doing this for the daughter this evil man tortured and killed. But suppose nine-year-old Becky were here. Would she want you to watch? Would you let her watch?

Or would you keep her as far as you could from such evil?

Meanwhile, South Dakotans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty will hold quiet vigil outside the South Dakota State Penitentiary tomorrow night.

Published in South Dakota

caheidelberger

17 Comments

  1. Roger Elgersma 2012.10.29

    First of all, those that think that we who are against the death penalty have sympathy for these horrible people are just wrong.
    But I do think that those who have a problem with not forgiving, put themself in a place where they need forgiveness for the same sin of killing. Then they may find it in themself to forgive another. God will make you forgive no matter how low he has to let you slide.

  2. Nick Nemec 2012.10.29

    My heart breaks for Tina Curl and what happened to her daughter. I doubt this execution will bring her any peace, revenge rarely does. People blather on about "closure" but I'm more and more convinced that it is pop physiology with little basis in fact.

  3. Rorschach 2012.10.29

    Let's say a prayer for Tina Curl that she will be able to look forward in her life after this deed is done. I don't fault her for being there. She of all people needs to be there.

  4. PrairieLady - Gayle 2012.10.29

    Sometimes I wonder if we should call our society civilized because we really have not come much farther than, let’s say the 1880’s. Rather than taking a murderer from the courthouse to the hanging tree, we keep them confined in a cell for years on the tax payers’ dollars.
    We allow crazies to have guns to slaughter people in theaters, schools, churches and gas stations. Those folks murdered did not even get the dignity of a show down at high noon on main street. Maybe everyone needs to be armed to at least even the score a bit.
    The crazies and those like Moeller and Robert still get 3 meals a day, healthcare and a bed. Yet, we do not have funds to take care of homeless and needy who are deserving of 3 meals a day, health care and shelt. Is it unkind and uncivil to keep a murderer locked in a cell for years? Some says that is worse punishment than death, but I am not so sure. We worry about the rights of the scum who have committed heinous crimes and if we are putting them to death in a humane way. I would like to see victims have rights and their families also. Maybe the death penality phase should be up to the families of the victums.
    Years ago, I knew Ron and Lynette Johnson. They were a young couple working hard to raise a family and you could see the love between them and the love for their kids. Ron’s death seems to have taken its toll on Lynette. While managing home health care, Becky O Connell’s grandma was one of our clients. She was devastated by the death of her grand daughter. They are victims too. Those like Moeller and Robert have not only snuffed the life out of one person, they have greatly harmed many, many families and friends for the rest of their lives.
    Personally….and I know most of you don’t agree, I say just hang ‘em. Get it over, get it done and don’t take years to do it. This is just my opinion.

  5. caheidelberger Post author | 2012.10.29

    R, no one needs to be there. Or maybe we all need to be there to witness the killing we perform.

  6. caheidelberger Post author | 2012.10.29

    Roger, I don't know if what I feel for Moeller is "sympathy." I loathe his crime, the choices he made, the horror he visited upon an innocent, helpless child.

    I then step back and make policy. I choose a society in which we do not grant the state (ourselves) the power to kill disarmed, restrained, and confined prisoners. To forego unnecessary killing and the inevitable error of killing an innocent citizen, I accept the distasteful burden of caging and feeding evil men and women until the end of their natural lives.

    Gayle, if there are only a dozen muffins left in the entire world, and if I face an innocent, sickly child and Donald Moeller, I feed the child and let Moeller go hungry. But we don't face that dilemma. We have ample resources, and nations much less wealthy than we find the resources to care for the needy and maintain a prison system without using the death penalty.

  7. Mark Byrnes 2012.10.29

    Dear Sir.
    Your opening comment ( Thanks to the misguided charity and self-righteous bloodlust of others) What scale did you create to measure and judge Tina Curl. The Child Molester and Killer created his own Depravity scale with intents to cause emotional trauma,cause permanent disfigurement and terrorise the helpless,Your indications of intent with Tina Curl are misguided and self-righteous.

  8. caheidelberger Post author | 2012.10.29

    I make no comparison between Mrs. Curl and the killer of her daughter. The killer committed a crime, which we must punish justly.

    But criminal atrocities excuse neither state atrocities nor personal errors of judgment.

    I am also not a terrorist... although I do criticize Russ Olson regularly.

  9. Dave 2012.10.31

    I'm glad ABC News reported the fundraising activities. When I heard about her situation, I mailed a check to help with the expenses. I'm very happy she was able to attend the execution.

  11. larry kurtz 2012.10.31

    AP is reporting that the other lifers (fan club) in the Pen cheered Moeller on being delivered from Hell.

  12. larry kurtz 2012.10.31

    Republican Ted Klaudt, on the other hand, is still in Hell.

  17. Mark Byrnes 2012.10.31

    Dear Sir
    Criminal Atrocities-State Atrocities Personal Errors-I am not a terrorist
    This is not the scale you used to create or measure Tina Curl, indications of intent, actions, and attitudes which could used to rate were missing
    A fundraising activities article with the protesters outside the penitentiary is long overdue you can call it 'Vigil Protesters Masquerading As Fan Club'

Comments are closed.