A word for Sunday!
- Michael Knoll
- Dec 7
- 4 min read
Happy Sunday again! First of all, we must wish Nita Strauss a very happy birthday, as she was born 29 years ago today in Los Angeles (USA). For those who don't know her, she is one of the best guitarists currently performing on stages around the world. I'm not the only one who thinks so; the absolute grandmaster of rock, Alice Cooper, shares this opinion, which is why he keeps hiring her.
Let's move on to the next point. Oceanborn was the second album by the Finnish band Nightwish, and in my opinion, still their best. From very hard and quite fast-paced tracks (Stargazers, Passion and the Opera, or Sacrament of Wilderness) to pleasant, gentle, and mellow ones (Swanheart, Walking in the Air, or Sleeping Sun), there's something for everyone. Although the album is now 27 years old, it still captivates me, not least because of Tarja's unique vocals, as if I were hearing it for the first time. And if you haven't heard it yet, see for yourself.
Now let's move on to today's topic: the lethal injection.
Forty-three years ago today, Charles Brooks Jr., convicted of murder, became the first death row inmate to be executed by lethal injection at Huntsville Prison in Texas. Although the method had been permitted as a means of execution in Oklahoma since 1977, Texas was the first state to implement it. Let us now turn to the final moments in the life of Charlie Brooks, as he was also known.
The execution of Charles Brooks Jr. was a historic moment that was meticulously observed, as it was the world's first attempt to execute a human being in this "medical" manner.
Here is the detailed account of the execution on December 7, 1982:
The preparation
Brooks was taken to the execution room of the Huntsville Unit and strapped to a mobile hospital stretcher (Gurney).
The procedure: Medical technicians (not doctors, as this would have violated the Hippocratic Oath) inserted an intravenous access point (a drip) into his arm.
The witnesses: Brooks' girlfriend, Vanessa Sapp, was present, as were media representatives and prison staff.
The last words
Brooks had converted to Islam while incarcerated. His last words were a prayer and a direct message to his girlfriend. He looked at her and said:
"I love you. Be strong." (I love you. Be strong.) Then he prayed in Arabic, testifying to his faith in Allah and that Mohammed was his prophet.
The injection
The trial began shortly after midnight. A three-drug cocktail was used, which later became standard practice in many US states. The substances were injected one after the other through a tube from an adjacent room.
Sodium Thiopental: A strong barbiturate (anesthetic) to render him unconscious.
Pancuronium bromide: A muscle relaxant that paralyzes all muscles and thus stops breathing (this also prevents visible cramps).
Potassium chloride: A salt that, in high doses, can cause cardiac arrest.
The physical reaction
Observers described the death as outwardly calm, but not completely motionless.
Brooks closed his eyes.
He was breathing heavily, making a wheezing noise (often described as "gasping") and yawning.
A doctor observed his abdomen rising and falling and noticed slight twitches.
Minutes later, his skin turned greyish.
Determination of death
At 12:16 a.m. , Charles Brooks Jr. was officially pronounced dead. Proponents of the method subsequently praised the procedure as "peaceful" and "clean," since—unlike the electric chair—there was no smoke, no burns, and no visible massive convulsions.
How does it work?
Step 1: The anesthesia (sedation)
Drug: Formerly thiopental sodium , today often pentobarbital or midazolam .
Effect: The convicted person is to fall into a deep coma. He should feel nothing.
The risk: If this method does not work properly (e.g., in drug addicts with damaged veins or incorrect dosage), the convicted person will experience the next two steps fully conscious.
Step 2: Paralysis (muscle relaxant)
Agents: e.g., pancuronium bromide or vecuronium .
Effect: It paralyzes all voluntary muscles, including the diaphragm. The lungs cease to function; the condemned person effectively suffocates.
The purpose: This primarily serves the spectators. It prevents the body from twitching or struggling during the death throes. For the condemned person, it means: He can no longer move, scream, or blink – even if he were still conscious.
Step 3: Cardiac arrest
Agent: Potassium chloride (highly concentrated).
Effect: Potassium massively disrupts the electrical signals of the heart muscle and leads to immediate cardiac arrest.
The sensation: Without anesthesia, potassium in the veins feels like liquid fire flowing through the body.
What happens in the body?
In the "ideal scenario" (from the perspective of the justice system), the convicted person falls asleep, stops breathing, and their heart stops. Death usually occurs within 5 to 15 minutes.
In reality, however, botched executions do occur repeatedly:
If the anesthesia fails (which happened particularly with the controversial drug midazolam ), the person feels the suffocation and burning sensation, but cannot make themselves known because of the paralysis (step 2).
Since the needles are often inserted by laypersons, veins are sometimes punctured and the poison runs into the surrounding tissue, which extremely delays death (sometimes up to 2 hours).
That's it for today. All that's left is to wish you all a lovely Sunday. Oh, wait, I almost forgot the most important thing: today's beer. It's a green one. Stay tuned, cheers, and see you soon!
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