The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

She Was Buried Alive

Posted on | April 30, 2014 | 52 Comments

Oklahoma teenager Stephanie Neiman had just graduated from Perry High School that night in June 1999 when she and another girl went to visit their friend Bobby Boynt. Neiman, 19, was driving her blue Chevy pickup with a personalized license plate, “TAZZZ,” for the Tasmanian Devil cartoon character. Neiman and her 18-year-old friend’s trip to the Boynt residence was one of those “wrong place, wrong time” disasters. They arrived just as Boynt, the 23-year-old father of a 9-month-old infant, was being assaulted by three men:

Clayton Lockett, 23, his cousin, Alfonzo Lockett, 17 and Shawn Mathis, 26, were already there. While Boynt’s baby son slept in another room, they had tied up and were beating Boynt because he owed money to Clayton Lockett.
When Neiman’s friend went inside the home they hit her with a shotgun then forced her to call Neiman into the home.
They repeatedly raped Neiman’s 18-year-old friend, tied up the two women then used Neiman’s truck to take the adults and the baby to a rural part of Kay County. When Neiman refused to give Clayton Lockett the keys to her truck or provide him the alarm code, he ordered Stephanie to kneel while Mathis dug a grave.
Lockett shot her and the gun jammed. While Neiman lay there screaming, the attackers cleared the jam and Lockett shot her a second time. Even though she was still breathing, he ordered the other two attackers to drag her into the grave and bury her.

Kidnapping, assault, rape, murder — these brutal monsters committed multiple crimes that night. The cruel murder of Stephanie Neiman served no purpose. The killers left two witnesses alive:

They threatened to kill Bobby Boynt and Neiman’s friend if they went to police, but they did anyway. Perry police arrested the three attackers just three days later.
Alfonzo Lockett and Shawn Mathis are each serving life terms for their parts in the crime.

This brings us to Clayton Lockett:

You can read the victim statement by Stephanie’s mother, Susie Neiman, which mentions — as an incident in passing — that Stephanie was “made to do unspeakable things” by these criminals. The Washington Post says only that Stephanie was “sexually assaulted,” pointing out that Lockett already had previous felony convictions and had only been released from prison in 1998:

After the trial was completed in August 2000, the Associated Press reported that “Lockett was found guilty of conspiracy, first-degree burglary, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of forcible oral sodomy, four counts of first-degree rape, four counts of kidnapping and two counts of robbery by force and fear. The charges were after former convictions of two or more felonies, according to the court clerk’s office.”
Clayton Lockett was sentenced to death for first-degree murder, and more than 2,285 years in prison for his other convictions from that night. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the death sentence in April 2013 . . .

All this is necessary prelude to what happened Tuesday night:

A death row inmate spent forty minutes writhing in agony before dying of a heart attack following a new cocktail of drugs administered in a lethal injection on Tuesday night.
Oklahoma prison officials halted Clayton Lockett’s execution after the experimental drug left the man writhing and clenching his teeth on the gurney.
The 38-year-old, who was found guilty of shooting a woman and watching his friends bury her alive, was declared unconscious ten minutes after the first of the state’s new three-drug lethal injection combination was administered.
Three minutes later, though, he began breathing heavily, writhing, clenching his teeth and straining to lift his head off the pillow.
It later emerged his vein had ruptured.
The blinds were eventually lowered to prevent those in the viewing gallery from watching what was happening in the death chamber, and the state’s top prison official eventually called a halt to the proceedings.
Lockett died of a heart attack a short time later, the Department of Corrections said.
Local media present said Mr Lockett sat up and said ‘something’s wrong’ 13 minutes into the procedure.
‘It was a horrible thing to witness. This was totally botched,’ said Lockett’s attorney, David Autry.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said “we have a fundamental standard in this country that even when the death penalty is justified, it must be carried out humanely. And I think everyone would recognize that this case fell short of that standard.”

Indeed. Clayton Lockett’s execution was not “carried out humanely,” but Stephanie Neiman was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, shot twice and buried alive. And in the immortal words of Inspector Harry Callahan, “Well, I’m all broken up about that man’s rights.”

 

 

Comments

52 Responses to “She Was Buried Alive”

  1. Quartermaster
    April 30th, 2014 @ 6:39 pm

    I’m with Harry. Callahan, that is.

    By the way. That picture is raaaaacist. I denounce myself for noticing the most prominent feature of that pic. I denounce anyone else that notices, particularly Dana and Zohydro who are also observant.

  2. fourbten
    April 30th, 2014 @ 6:45 pm

    He got off too easy.

  3. RS
    April 30th, 2014 @ 6:47 pm

    The irony is, in our quest to find the most “humane” way to end a murderer’s life, we wind up doing the opposite. If we are going to have the death penalty, then let’s stop worrying about being humane and just get it done.

  4. K-Bob
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:16 pm

    And this administration wants convicted felons to be able to vote once they manage to get out of prison.

    What could possibly go wrong there?

  5. Zohydro
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:20 pm

    I think capital punishment is barbaric but some folks just need killin’… This case fits the bill, but it’s still nasty business! Euthanising convicts like stray pets is hardly any more “humane” than the gallows or the firing squad…

  6. Anon Y. Mous
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:22 pm

    I think it would be a good thing to let, even encourage, ex-cons to vote. I would restrict it to only those that are no longer on parole. I don’t think that most ex-cons are very civic minded. I think they tend to be rather selfish individuals who are not likely to take the time to go down to their polling place to stand in line to vote. Not enough in it for them personally. So, for the ones that can be encouraged to really rejoin civil society, voting is a positive step.

  7. Anon Y. Mous
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:24 pm

    It is hard to understand why they keep on complicating something that should be very simple. I don’t recall ever hearing about any complications with Utah’s firing squads. Straight, direct, and to the point.

  8. JeffS
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:26 pm

    A vicious person is dead, and will not rape, torture, and murder again.

    That works for me.

  9. Zohydro
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:26 pm

    OT…

    What’s up with this web site lately? The Recent Comments has been subverted by Memeorandum… There are other small things off and on too!

  10. Anon Y. Mous
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:31 pm

    Plus, the comment count above every post is now locked at “No Comments”. We used to be able to tell which posts were generating the most comment activity, but no more.

  11. RS
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:36 pm

    Oklahoma’s process in Capital Murder cases has been the subject of an expose by John Grisham, The Innocent Man. It’s worth a read, though the process described is not uniform across death penalty jurisdictions,

  12. trangbang68
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:52 pm

    Hopefully, old Beezlebub will be more efficient than the executioner when he spends the next 100000 years sodomizing Lockett with a handful of barbed wire

  13. Zohydro
    April 30th, 2014 @ 7:56 pm

    That’s always been a bit wonky for me—the count was often decreasing … It pops up the count after a few seconds now!

  14. Zohydro
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:01 pm

    Don’t give Schmalfelch any ideas!

  15. Anon Y. Mous
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:02 pm

    LOL. I don’t think that is even close to how he spells his name, but I know exactly who you mean.

  16. robertstacymccain
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:06 pm

    In most death-penalty cases, there is zero doubt of the convict’s guilty. “Innocence Project,” etc., make it seem that wrongful conviction is routine, but in a nation with THOUSANDS of murders a year, finding a comparative handful of wrongful convictions isn’t even 1/10th of a percent. And nearly all convicts sentenced to death are, like Lockett, indisputably guilty.

    When the Supreme Court temporarily suspended the death penalty (in 1971, I seem to recall), the ruling had the effect of sparing the lives of such monsters as Charles Manson. The more acquainted people become with the crimes committed by Death Row killers, the less sympathetic they tend to be.

  17. Bob Belvedere
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:14 pm

    THIS.

  18. Bob Belvedere
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:17 pm

    Me too.

    The humane thing to do for Society was to execute this murderer.

    He lost his claim to any humane treatment when he ripped away the humanity of that woman.

  19. J Lee
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:18 pm

    I don’t condone inhumane executions, but let’s not forget that natural death is usually painful and often takes more than 40 minutes.
    And even with the best pain control regmens, routine surgeries such as coronary artery bypass and hip replacement can be very painful.
    Please put this man’s suffering in full context.

  20. RS
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:22 pm

    Don’t confuse a desire for procedural due process for sympathy for the perpetrators. I’ve read every death penalty decision in my jurisdiction since SCOTUS allowed it back on the books. There’s no question the crimes are heinous beyond description. That said, there are problems in some jurisdictions, particularly those which don’t have a dedicated Capital Crimes Unit in the Public Defender’s Office. In Oklahoma, lawyers were appointed to defend capital cases whether they had experience or not and then paid a flat $2000 to do so. The situations where elected prosecutors and judges are more concerned about being reelected than with convicting an innocent person are legion. Are most guilty? Certainly. That doesn’t mean we should not be deeply concerned when the State uses its power to wrongfully convict someone, even if it is a very rare occasion.

  21. Stogie Chomper
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:32 pm

    I was disgusted by the botching of this execution, but now that I know the reasons for it, I am less disgusted. Hanging or the chair would still work and be more humane than this.

  22. maniakmedic
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:48 pm

    The world’s smallest violin is really getting a workout over what is, I think we can probably agree, a giant sack of shit. That being said, the thing that really bothers me about this whole story is not the righteous indignation of the perpetually aggrieved – that is nothing new and is, in fact so commonplace I just shake my head and laugh anymore – but the fact that the way the story is written makes it sound like the drugs were at fault, when in point of fact if you read the whole thing it barely mentions the real cause of the problem (vein rupture) and even then doesn’t bother to explain what it means.

    For the non-medical among us, a ruptured vein means the needle either went through the vein upon insertion or while it was being secured and hooked up to the tubing, or the vein was weak due to something like dehydration and collapsed under the pressure (I’ve had this happen trying to draw blood from a guy with a hangover; we ultimately had to use a butterfly needle – commonly used when inserting IVs on or drawing blood from infants – to get any blood out of the guy because his veins were so fragile from lack of hydration). Anything going into his body through the needle would instead start pooling into the tissue around the vein. It’s not a pleasant feeling from what I understand (never had it happen to me) but whatever goes in will still end up in your system, just not as efficiently.

    This, to me, is yet another reminder (along with gun stories) that on the whole reporters don’t know anything about anything. Or, for the more conspiracy theoryish view, this is preparation to help end the death penalty by “proving” even lethal injection is cruel because the drugs cause pain!!!!!11111eleventy11!1! My thought on that: cry me a river. Then explain to me why I should feel bad when a sack of shit that admitted to heinous crimes felt some discomfort on his way to meet God.

  23. maniakmedic
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:51 pm

    I’ll denounce you and myself as well.

  24. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:55 pm

    I have had to take in pets to be put down. One shot, no suffering, it is over. I have seen large animals (horses) put down the same way. Again, no suffering, it is quick. So what is the deal with this cocktail of drugs?

    As for this execution the description reminded me of the scene of the botched execution in the Green Mile. The warden asks: “What in the Blue Fuck was that!” Tom Hanks replies: “A successful execution, the prisoner is dead.”

    He had a point.

  25. William_Teach
    April 30th, 2014 @ 8:55 pm

    No sympathy for this animal. Of course, Liberals total sympathy is for him, not the victims.

    Since they keep having problems with these executions (seems a little convenient, eh?), let’s go back to the old standards. Firing squad. Hanging. Electric chair. Cyanide. They seemed to work just fine.

  26. Charles
    April 30th, 2014 @ 9:17 pm

    Sparing Charles Manson may have been the point of the death penalty suspension in California, we’ll never know.

  27. John Scotus
    April 30th, 2014 @ 9:24 pm

    The press is calling this a botched execution. Not true. The beast is not just merely dead, he is really quite sincerely dead. In the old days, he would have been drawn and quartered.

  28. Lisa Graas
    April 30th, 2014 @ 9:47 pm

    Are we Muslims or are we Christians? Christianity is hard sometimes. If you don’t believe me, ask Jesus.

  29. Zohydro
    April 30th, 2014 @ 9:47 pm

    The decades some of these types spend on Death Row is probably the most inhumane part of it all!

  30. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    May 1st, 2014 @ 12:45 am

    Mistakes do happen in felony cases (and the Innocence Project does get innocent people released). What they do is good work and frankly Prosecutors should welcome that.

    But on death penalty cases the level of review and re-review is heavy. I think it should be sparingly used for heinous crimes, but it is the proper response to a heinous crime.

  31. W Krebs
    May 1st, 2014 @ 1:51 am

    Nobody has reported problems with Dr. Guilotin’s machine.

  32. DeadMessenger
    May 1st, 2014 @ 4:22 am

    In noticing the most prominent feature of that picture, I have identified myself as racist, and also denounce myself. Furthermore, I confess that my last name also begins “Lock”, which further cements my obvious guilt.

  33. DeadMessenger
    May 1st, 2014 @ 4:27 am

    It’s as if you can read my mind.

  34. DeadMessenger
    May 1st, 2014 @ 4:34 am

    Thanks for the medical info.

    And when you say “that on the whole reporters don’t know anything about anything”, I would agree about mainstream reporters. Of course, they ~are~ reporters, and could find out. Stacy manages to know stuff about stuff, for instance. It’s just professional laziness, lolly-gagging, not giving a rip at work here.

  35. DeadMessenger
    May 1st, 2014 @ 4:42 am

    I’m a Christian. I’m not sure what you’re driving at here, but I think God was pretty clear about His death penalty position throughout the Bible. For example, crucifixion is the most vile and horrible execution method ever devised. Yet, Jesus was surrounded by two thieves during His own execution. Crucifixion for theft. He did not denounce that, nor did any of the disciples, but instead He evangelized the one seeking repentence. At no time did He say or imply that the man did not deserve his punishment. Indeed, we all deserve this same punishment.

  36. John Bradley
    May 1st, 2014 @ 6:01 am

    I don’t see what’s so ‘inhumane’ about the good old bullet-in-the-head technique. The same technique is often self-selected by our best and brightest – not to mention R. Bud Dwyer – and people aren’t in the habit of commiting suicide via ‘inhumane’ means. When’s the last time anyone said “I just can’t handle it anymore, think I’ll crucify myself”, or jumped in a meat-grinder willingly.

    If it’s good enough for HST and Hemmingway, it’s more than good enough for this viscious animal.

  37. Escher's House
    May 1st, 2014 @ 7:12 am

    Please, please bring back public hanging. When done properly, the neck snaps, providing a quick death. And public hangings are useful as a deterrent. Pour decourager les autres, doncha know?

  38. Before crying over Clayton Lockett and his botched execution, consider what happened to his victim, Stephanie Neiman… | Batshit Crazy News
    May 1st, 2014 @ 8:48 am

    […] TOM: She was buried alive… […]

  39. texlovera
    May 1st, 2014 @ 8:54 am

    Whether or not he suffered an agonizing execution is actually irrelevant; his eternal damnation will make that 40 minutes seem like paradise…

  40. Red
    May 1st, 2014 @ 9:43 am

    I am usually against the death penalty (I know, easy to say because nothing heinous has affected my family). I think killing another person for killing another person is more ironic than justice served. It’s a temporary salve for the victim’s family who will most likely feel awful for the rest of their lives anyway.

  41. Red
    May 1st, 2014 @ 9:46 am

    I see your point. I’m still conflicted because one one hand, we are supposed to be above this but we mete out ‘justice’ by killing in return. On the other, what have we really lost by snuffing out an irreparable person who obviously lost his soul long ago. I’m not trying to be Ghandi here but there is no win here. Not really.

  42. Kirby McCain
    May 1st, 2014 @ 1:50 pm

    We execute murderers because they are a danger to those who must care for them in confinement. Not that you’d care about those folks.

  43. DeadMessenger
    May 1st, 2014 @ 4:36 pm

    I’m going with too damn lazy.

  44. Regular Right Guy
    May 1st, 2014 @ 4:41 pm

    Best argument I can think of for public hangings. Hey, sorry ’bout the foul up though.

  45. SDN
    May 1st, 2014 @ 11:24 pm

    The death penalty serves the same function in society as the immune system does in the human body. Survival without either is impossible.

  46. Red
    May 2nd, 2014 @ 9:11 am

    Way to be an antagonistic smughole. #douchenozzle

  47. Red
    May 2nd, 2014 @ 9:12 am

    You make a good point. A really good one. Thanks.

  48. appman
    May 2nd, 2014 @ 3:08 pm

    He sure have been tortured to death and the carcass shipped to Africa.

  49. SDN
    May 3rd, 2014 @ 12:48 pm

    They also have similar flaws: both can target what they shouldn’t (autoimmune disorders) or fail to target what they should (cancer). That said, the answer is to check for the flaws and compensate appropriately, not to nuke the immune system.

  50. docwill
    May 3rd, 2014 @ 11:59 pm

    Even though factually based, it’s a novel designed to manipulate the reader’s emotions