This question came up at work:
So, it’s the end of the line. You’ve been found guilty of some heinous crime and the court says you must pay for it with your life. You’re strapped to the table and the attendant is about to stick the needle into your IV when suddenly you suffer a heart attack.
What now?
Do they take you to the hospital to save your life so that can kill you later? Do you have to be healthy before you die?
Has this ever happened?
unfortunately i don’t have a link for this because it was discussed in a class, but they are required to save your life in the event of the heart attack and then will execute that person later. the prison officials are required to care for the heart attack victim because it is an accidental/freak occurence in which the victim could die by accident. this accident would leave the prison and state liable and would also reflect bad upon the prison for a death that could not be explained. also, the victim needs to be executed to carry through with the punishment and die legally, not by an accident in which they were forced to suffer-endure pain which could have been prevented or stopped.