Use gas for death penalty

Although I have always been strongly in favor of the death penalty and believe it should actually be carried out rather than letting the condemned languish on death row, I’ve always wondered why the methods of execution have to be so macabre.

Even lethal injection, with its often multiple needle sticks, seems to be almost medieval. Concern for the suffering of the criminal is universally given for these supposedly humane methods of execution but I sure don’t see it that way.

I have a simple and humane solution. Why not execute criminals in a gas chamber using carbon monoxide gas or even just carbon dioxide? They’d peacefully and painlessly fall asleep and ultimately expire. It’s foolproof and 100 percent effective.

The gases could be safely vented to the outside atmosphere. I sure can’t see anything wrong with this approach.

This story was originally published November 15, 2015 at 9:26 AM with the headline "Use gas for death penalty."