Doctor walkout delays Morales execution to 7.30 p.m. tonight

Michael Morales
California Department of Corrections photo

By Laurie Isola, Bay City News Service

February 21, 2006

San Quentin State Prison Warden Steven Ornoski will move forward with the execution of Michael Morales at 7:30 p.m. today, according to prison spokesman Vernell Crittendon.

Morales' execution has already experienced delays. The most recent delay came when two anesthesiologists appointed to be present during the execution voiced ethical concerns, Crittendon announced.

Crittendon read from a statement, minutes before the announcement that the execution would be moved to 7:30 p.m., from the two anesthesiologists:

"The February 20 delivery of an opinion by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals raised serious questions about a possible responsibility to personally intervene in the execution of Mr. Morales, if any evidence of either pain or a return to consciousness arose. Any such intervention would clearly be medically unethical. As a result, we have withdrawn from participation in this current process. The District Court Order that followed the publication of the 9th Circuit Opinion does not sufficiently allay our concerns.

"While we contemplated a positive role that might enable us to verify a humane execution protocol for Mr. Morales, what is being asked of us now is ethically unacceptable."

Crittendon could not confirm what was said in the district court order.

He said the 7:30 p.m. execution will not include anesthesiologists, but will use a second option made available to the prison by the court. The option to be used will be a five gram injection of sodium pentothal.

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