Lethal Injection

The Lethal Injection is considered to be the most humane form of execution.  Instead of extravagant and grotesque deaths the condemned basically fall asleep while strapped to the table (pictured to left).  Every state that authorizes executions has lethal injections as their primary use of termination, and is also the form used by the US Government and in military tribunals. While some states have multiple ways to end the life of those sentenced to death, lethal injection is used as the primary form of execution  in 37 of the 38 states that still allow the death penalty to be handed down as punishment.

Three main types of chemicals are commonly used in this procedure: Sodium Thiopental, Pancuronium Bromide, and Potassium Chloride.  Sodium Thiopental is also known as Sodium Pentothal.  It is considered to be better than the other three.  5,000 milligrams of the barbiturate is injected by needle into the blood stream of the condemned "patient" as they are tethered to a table.  When it reaches the heart of its victim it induces anesthesia, relaxing all muscles of the body and the victim falls asleep on the table, forever.

Pancuronium Bromide is the preferred next to Sodium Pentothal. It is a muscle relaxant that once injected and reaches full effectiveness it paralyzes the diaphragm.  This stops the bodies capability to intake air, in essences it forces the body to suffocate itself. 

The worst of the three is a toxin, Potassium Chloride (KCl) when injected into the human bloodstream causes cardiac arrest.  This permanent shut down of the heart causes the most painful death of the lethal injection deaths.