Christopher Newton (criminal)
| Christopher J. Newton | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 13, 1969 Ohio, United States |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Lucasville, Ohio, United States |
| Criminal status | Executed by lethal injection |
Christopher J. Newton (November 13, 1969 – May 24, 2007) was an American criminal whose 2007 execution by the state of Ohio motivated additional discussion about executions by lethal injection.
Christopher Newton received the death penalty for the 2001 aggravated murder of his cellmate, Jason Brewer. At the time of the murder, Newton was imprisoned for attempted aggravated burglary of his father's home. Newton claimed that the burglary was committed only in attempt to return to prison. After two years, he decided that he was ready to die in prison and knew that murdering another inmate would warrant the death penalty. Newton claimed that the motivation for the murder was that he was frustrated by his cellmate's poor chess playing skills and thus chose to beat, strangle, and taste the blood of 27-year-old Brewer.
The court denied Newton's defense funds for neuropsychiatric tests that could have proven severe mental disability. The Constitution of the State of Ohio specifically states that it is cruel and inhumane to execute someone with a severe mental disability.
The controversy surrounding Newton's execution was primarily attributed to the many problems associated with the administration of the injection. In particular, because he weighed 265 pounds (120 kg), Newton's veins were very difficult to locate. It took over two hours and 10 attempts before the execution was completed.[1] It took so long that Newton was given a bathroom break. On average, it should take 20 minutes for a successful execution. The problems with Newton's execution occurred less than one year after the 90 minute execution of fellow Ohio inmate, Joseph Lewis Clark.[1]
See also
References
- http://www.sanduskyregister.com/articles/2007/05/24/front/289501.txt
- http://www.supremecourtofohio.gov/Communications_Office/summaries/2006/0125/030565.asp
- http://ohiodeathpenaltyinfo.typepad.com/ohio_death_penalty_inform/files/NewtonOSCTbrief.doc
- Death Penalty Appeal - Detail. Attorney General - State of Ohio. Retrieved on 2007-11-15.
- Christopher J. Newton. The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney. Retrieved on 2007-11-15.
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1969 births
- 2007 deaths
- People executed for murder
- Executed people from Ohio
- People from Ashland County, Ohio
- 21st-century executions by Ohio
- American people convicted of murder
- People convicted of murder by Ohio
- 21st-century executions of American people by lethal injection
