VOA标准英语2008年-US Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Lethal Inje

By Cindy Saine
Washington
08 January 2008

The U.S. Supreme¹ Court this week heard oral arguments challenging the use of lethal² injections to carry out executions in the United States.  The case under consideration comes from Kentucky, where two death row inmates⁴ argue that the three-drug-injection-method used widely in executions across the country can cause unnecessary pain and suffering.  VOA's Cindy Saine reports from Washington.

A total of 37 U.S. states allow the death penalty.  In 36 of those states, execution involves the use of a three-drug mixture.  The first drug is used to make the prisoner unconscious, the second to paralyze the body, and the third to stop the heart.

Opponents of the three-drug method argue that if the first drug does not work, the inmate³ would feel excruciating pain, but would not be able to move or communicate his agony, because of the second, paralyzing drug. 

Washington attorney Donald Verrilli is representing the two Kentucky death row inmates who challenged the procedure.  His argument is that too many things can go wrong during the lethal injection process in Kentucky, mainly because the people carrying them out are often poorly trained.

"Our position is the pain that is inflicted⁵ here, when this goes wrong, is torturous⁶, excruciating pain under any definition," he said.

Verrilli argues that the risk of extreme pain violates the Eighth Amendment⁷ to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits "cruel and unusual punishment."

Arguing on behalf of the state, Roy Englert says Kentucky has excellent safeguards in place to prevent pain and suffering, and that the risk overall in executions across the country is minimal⁸.

"There have been more than 900 executions carried out by lethal injection in this country, a very small number of them are problematic, and those are attributable to obvious human error, against which we have had adequate safeguards in place," he said.

The Bush administration is siding with the state of Kentucky in opposing the challenge.

The Kentucky inmates are asking that a single-drug procedure, a massive dose of barbiturates, be used, because even if something goes wrong, the prisoner will feel no pain.

Proponents⁹ of the three-drug method argue that it is faster, and that it prevents involuntary thrashing by the condemned¹⁰ prisoner, making the process appear more dignified¹¹.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia appeared exasperated¹² by all the arguments about pain, saying this is an execution and not surgery.

"Where does that come from, that you must find the method of execution that causes the least pain?" he asked.

Several justices appeared to be struggling with the claim that the three-drug protocol¹³ is more painful, and several suggested sending the case back to the lower court for an examination of the three-drug protocol compared with alternatives.  Justice Scalia disagreed, saying that could take years.

The case is being closely watched, because executions across the United States have been put on hold until the Supreme Court reaches a decision on lethal injection, expected by June.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

3 inmate   

n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人

参考例句：

• I am an inmate of that hospital.我住在那家医院。
• The prisoner is his inmate.那个囚犯和他同住一起。

4 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 inflicted   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

6 torturous   

adj. 痛苦的

参考例句：

• His breathing was torturous.他的呼吸充满痛苦。
• This is a torturous agonizing way to kill someone.这是一种让人受尽折磨、痛苦难忍的杀人方法。

7 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

8 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

9 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

10 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

11 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

12 exasperated   

adj.恼怒的

参考例句：

• We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。
• Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

13 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。