Bill Wiseman, the former Oklahoma legislator who introduced lethal injection as a method of execution in the U.S. in order to make death row inmates’ deaths more humane, now regrets having pushed the concept into law. He notes that he introduced the measure in order to ease his shame for having voted to restore the death penalty in Oklahoma, stating, “I’m sorry for what I did. I hope someday to offset it by helping us realize that capital punishment is wrong and self-destructive.” While discussing recent court challenges regarding lethal injection practices, Wiseman stated, “I’m aware of my responsibility. It keeps me tied to the problem. And the problem is that we’re killing people. That’s what’s wrong, not how we’re doing it.” Wiseman is no longer an elected official and was recently ordained as an Episcopal priest.

(Mother Jones, September/October 2005). See Methods of Execution and New Voices.