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NEWS > U.S.A. > RICHARD COOEY CASE SPARKS LARGER ELECTRIC CHAIRS, THICKER NEEDLES

RICHARD COOEY CASE SPARKS LARGER ELECTRIC CHAIRS, THICKER NEEDLES

August 9 2008

Columbus, OH – Richard Cooey, the convicted murder sentenced to death for the murder of two women in 1986, who made headlines last week claiming that he was too overweight to be executed, has provoked a massive overhaul of the death penalty system in the United States.

The case has highlighted a problem prison officials across the country have been dealing with for a number of years, but which has largely remained in the shadows. The reality of the growing waistlines of the American population has hit the US prison system just as hard as any sector.

“Executions are few are far between in reality,” said an official for the Ohio prison system. “The stories garner a lot of press but the number of actual executions versus incarcerations is actually quite low, especially in Ohio. The case with Cooey though illustrates the problem we are going to have in the future. We need a massive overhaul of the entire prison system to adjust. We’re seeing cramped cells and more and more health problems. In terms of executions, it’s getting harder and harder to squeeze them into the cars, straps are getting harder to buckle. It’s becoming a very serious issue.”

While observers and prison workers have been recommending changes for years, the Cooey case seems to be just the impetus needed to provoke real change.
U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey has announced a study into sweeping reform of the death penalty system in the country.

“It is incumbent on us to adjust to the current needs of our prison system. We can no longer cover our eyes and ears to the problem, we must adapt so that execution throughout the country is safe for everyone not just now, but for the future as well. While it will be left up to each individual state to enact reforms, we hope this study will provide a framework for all to invest in infrastructure to provide the best possible execution experience.”

No state may be more dire need of change than Texas. Not only does the state have far and away the highest number of executions, it is also ranked as the most obese in the country. Texas officials have long been struggling with outdated equipment.

“If we have one advantage, it’s that most of our significantly overweight prisoners tend to be white, for whatever reason. Since most of the people we execute are black, it hasn’t been a serious detriment to our execution system. We do believe though that all prisoners are going to be fatter going forward and we want to ensure that we are ready to execute them without delay,” said a state official. “Hopefully the Governor will see the way through and provide the funds needed.”

When asked if it might not be a better idea to put prisoners on diets, the official replied, “That just isn’t the American way. Americans should be able to eat whatever they want, even if they’re in prison.”

Mike Michaels, American Correspondent

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