Tap That Vein

How sad is our society when lawyers can use obesity as a defense for execution? This guy above, convicted of raping and murdering two young women, is fighting to live by eating himself to death. His lawyer says they had trouble finding a vein on Richard Cooey five years ago which has been made worse due to the fact that he has been stuffing his face ever since. His attorneys also says that the drug Topamax, which he is taking for migraine headaches, could have created a resistance to thiopental, the drug used to put inmates to sleep before two other lethal drugs are administered.

First, the obesity excuse is not a new one for condemned death row inmates. It has been used before and is now an incentive for these guys to pig out. Why we allow them to eat so many calories is beyond me? Is it cruel and unusual punishment to have someone eat appropriate portions? Second, how the hell does a prisoner get an expensive name-brand drug like Topamax while the rest of the country can't afford healthcare? Lastly, Topamax, as a side-effect, actually affects appetite and makes patients lose weight. That is, I guess, unless you are on death row. Maybe the pharmaceutical company should put that in their package insert?