Death row inmate suffered “excruciating” death after last meal “mistake”
Purkey was eventually arrested and pleaded guilty to the murder of Bales. Yet after being sentenced to life in state prison, he voluntarily gave up information about the murder of Long in a bid to serve out his sentence in federal prison instead.
As per reports, however, Purkey neglected to secure any sort of promise over what sort of sentence the prosecution would pursue for his having kidnapped, raped and murdered the teenage Long.
Purkey was executed in 2020, by way of being given a lethal injection of pentobarbital.
His autopsy revealed that he suffered from ‘severe bilateral acute pulmonary oedema’ and ‘frothy pulmonary oedema in the trachea and main stem bronchi’, meaning that fluid entered his lungs and trachea quickly.
Speaking to News.com.au, Dr Gail Van Norman explained: “It is a virtual medical certainty, that most, if not all, prisoners will experience excruciating suffering, including sensations of drowning and suffocation from [the lethal injection drug] pentobarbital.”
Expressing regret for the murder of Jennifer Long with his final words, Purkey said: “I deeply regret the pain and suffering I caused to Jennifer’s family. I am deeply sorry. I deeply regret the pain I caused to my daughter, who I love so very much.
“This sanitized murder really does not serve no purpose whatsoever.”Continue reading…
