Collaboration

Romell Broom, sentenced to death for the kidnapping, rape and murder of an adolescent in 1984 in Cleveland, still lives. On Sept 15, the scheduled date of Broom’s execution, the Ohioan executioners failed at their job. For two hours with syringes at hand, they were unable to find the vein in which to inject the lethal shot. Upon the governor’s request, they sent Broom back to his cell, until at least Nov 30.

We [les Dernieres Nouvelles d’Alsace] will not ramble on about Broom’s criminal profile, nor on the legitimacy of the death penalty, which the United States remains one of the last occidental countries to apply it. More intriguing is Broom’s account of the two hours of his faulty execution, which he declared this week under oath. From the beginning to the end, it is appalling. But most appalling of all are the prison director’s actions. First off, he entered Broom’s cell where for 2 hours Broom saw his own death in deferment. Before his entry, the director already received the governor’s call agreeing to Broom’s execution grace period. Then, in front of Broom, the director praised “the professionalism of his equipment.” Finally he said to Broom, the one whose death is in limbo, that he deeply appreciated his collaboration in the defective execution.

When the executioners thank their victim for sharing the blunder, we can be sure that they have, if not tender hearts, at least a sense of consensus.