lawyer Floridian On the death row, trying to stop his upcoming execution, arguing that his obesity and health status could have led to the wrongness of his deadly injection method of choice.
Michael Tanzi, 48, is scheduled to be executed in a Florida prison on April 8 for his conviction of abducting and murdering a woman in Miami in 2000. State Supreme Court.
Tanzi’s lawyers said in court filing last week that their client was morbidly obese and suffering from sciatica, a disease that causes pain in the sciatic nerve in the back.
They believe that the deadly injection procedure in Florida may not work due to Tanzi’s weight, stressing that the sedative medication may not be fully effective and in the process he “paralyzed but aware.” His lawyers claim that enforcing him would violate the Eighth Amendment, which prevents cruel and unusual forms of punishment.
Florida, executing guilty murderer, fatal injection child rapist after Scotus denies appeal
Michael Tanzi, 48, is scheduled to be executed in a Florida prison on April 8. (Florida Department of Corrections)
“The existing procedures use a method that is sized to fit not allow for modification of the dose,” his lawyer said in the appeal. “There is a great risk that Mr. Tanz will be paralyzed but when to inject sodium acetate, creating a feeling of burning from the inside.”
His lawyer noted that Tanzi “may suffer from pulmonary edema, creating sensations of suffocation and drowning,” adding that his obesity, acid reflux and sleep apnea “pose a great risk that if sedated on his back he would suffer from reflux and vomiting.”
His lawyer believes his obesity will make it impossible for the state to use existing procedures for humane execution.
“The existing lethal injection protocol does not consider the execution of people with obesity and uncontrolled medical conditions like Mr. Tanz, which could complicate the fatal injection procedure,” Tanz’s lawyer said. “Using the existing protocol to execute Mr. Tanz can cause serious illness and unnecessary pain.”
Lawyers also believe that placing an IV line carrying a three-toxic lethal injection cocktail can be difficult.
Tanzi’s lawyers argued that enforcing him would violate the Eighth Amendment, which could prevent cruel and unusual forms of punishment. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, file)
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier responded to Tanzi’s appeal, who did not show that the state’s deadly injection program would violate protection against cruel and unusual punishment. Uthmeier also noted that Tanzi’s lawyers had enough time to raise their concerns, but waited until the scheduled execution.
“Tanzi did not provide any support for his unfounded claim that the massive etomat dose was repeatedly and successfully used in the lethal injection protocol in Florida, which did not work for him,” Uthmeier’s office said.
In Florida, executions must be carried out through a fatal injection or electric chair.
Tanzi Convicted In April 2000, Janet Acosta was kidnapped, strangled her to death, and left her body in the keys before he continued to drive south to visit a friend. He was arrested after submitting a report of missing persons and was seen driving Acosta’s vehicle.
In Florida, executions must be carried out through a fatal injection or electric chair. (Ben Gray/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
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In April 2000, when Tanzi attacked her and threatened her with a razor blade, Acosta sat in her parked van. He tied her up before he started driving the van toward the Florida key. At one point, Tanz sexually assaulted Acosta and used her bank card to withdraw money from the ATM.
If Tanzi is executed as planned, it will be the third time in Florida so far this year. James Dennis Ford was executed last month for the 1997 murder of a couple in Charlotte County, and Edward James was executed for raping and murdering an 8-year-old girl and killing her grandmother.
