Sunday 17 December 2006

Dr. William Hamilton - the Gainesville medical examiner

Dr. William Hamilton, the Gainesville medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Diaz, refused to say whether Diaz died a painful death.

"I am going to defer answers about pain and suffering until the autopsy is complete," said Hamilton, who has performed autopsies on executed inmates since 1981.

Hamilton said IV needles in both of Diaz' arms punctured the vein. As a result of drugs entering Diaz' body near his elbows, he has a 12-inch chemical burn on his right arm and an 11-inch chemical burn on his left arm, Hamilton said.

The medical examiner's findings contradicted the explanation given by prison officials, who claimed the slow process and the second dose was needed because he had liver disease. Although prison medical records showed Diaz had hepatitis, his liver appeared normal, Hamilton said.

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