Friday 5 September 2008

Doctors at Angel Diaz execution


Testimony regarding Physician Assistant William Matthews role during the Diaz execution was conflicting: was he an observer or part of the team?

The FDLE observer saw two medical people behind the executioners during Diaz. According to Matthews, he was there with two other medical people.

Dr. Elio Madan, the medical director at Florida State Prison, claimed he remained in the cell nearest the chamber alone and then only pronounced death. He denied watching the heart monitors.

Dr. Selyutin's testimony conflicted with Dr. Madan's in that he said that he waited in the same cell during the execution in case he was needed. He reported that Dr. Madan was not there.

Dr. Selyutin, who has pronounced death in the past, readily admitted that part of his role was to watch the heart monitors and that he never understood why "Tallahassee rules" required him to wear a disguise. 25

the State sought to exclude the testimony of Dr. Selyutin representing that there was "nothing to suggest" that he was present at the Diaz execution. (R. 1205).

At the hearing, Dr. Selyutin testified that he was present at the execution at the express request of Dr. Madan, and that DOC rules (which Mr. Lightbourne has never seen) require the presence of two doctors.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Are these doctors standing behind the executioners and coaching them on how to push the plungers??