Botched execution nothing to lose sleep over

So bleeding heart liberals are in a tizzy over the fact that it took almost two hours for Joseph Rudolph Wood to die after his lethal injection in Arizona July 23. His attorneys claim their client was “gasping and snorting” for an hour, and death penalty opponents will certainly use this incident to complain of cruel and unusual punishment.

You know what I think is cruel and unusual? What Wood did to land on death row in the first place, that’s what.

According to the Arizona Corrections Department’s website, Wood “had been involved in a turbulent relationship for 5 years,” including “numerous breakups and several domestic violence incidents” with his ex-girlfriend, 29-year-old Debbie Dietz.

Twenty-nine years old. Her whole life still ahead of her. Now here’s the rest of the story.

“Debbie was working at a local body shop owned by her family. On Aug. 7, 1989, Wood walked into the shop and shot Gene Dietz, age 55, in the chest with a .38 caliber revolver, killing him.

“Gene Dietz’s 70-year-old brother was present and tried to stop Wood, but Wood pushed him away and proceeded into another section of the body shop.

“Wood went up to Debbie, placed her in some type of hold, and shot her once in the abdomen and once in the chest, killing her. Wood then fled the building.

“Two police officers approached Wood and ordered him to drop his weapon. After Wood placed the weapon on the ground, he reached down and picked it up, and pointed it at the officers. The officers fired, striking Wood several times. Wood was transported to a local hospital where he underwent extensive surgery.”

So this guy beats up his girlfriend multiple times. She breaks up with him. He shows up at her place of business without warning. Kills her father for no reason. Kills his ex for breaking up with him. Then tries to kill two police officers.

And I’m supposed to feel badly that this murderous piece of human garbage didn’t die a quick and totally painless death? Wood got to live almost 25 years longer than the two people whose lives he snuffed out.

How are their murders not cruel and unusual punishment for both the victims and their families?

As for death penalty opponents who claim the death penalty is not a deterrent, let me assure you that thanks to the death penalty Joseph Rudolph Wood absolutely, positively, without a doubt, will never, ever murder an innocent person again. He has been permanently deterred!

As for the afterlife, I can only hope that when Wood reaches the Gates of Hades, Saddam Hussein is the greeter, takes a fancy to him, and makes him his boy-toy for eternity. Rest in pain, Mr. Wood. Rest in pain.

Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a conservative grass-roots advocacy organization. He can be reached at www.muthstruths.com.