December 7th - First Lethal Injection in the US

On this day, in 1982, Charles Brooks Jr. was the first man to be executed by lethal injection in the United States of America. Unfortunately, Charles wasn't able to enjoy this honour as he was busy that night.

Charles was a kid living the American dream. Raised by wealthy parents, he played football for his high school, and he had been to prison for firearm possession. God bless America and all who sail in her.

It all went horribly wrong on one unlucky day in 1976. Charles took a car for a test drive and was accompanied by the car-yard mechanic. It went well, the clutch was smooth and the radio had both AM and FM. It really was a golden age. During the drive they picked up Charles' friend, Woody Loures. All the men enjoyed the drive until Charles and Woody took the mechanic to a motel, tied him to a chair with coat hangers and shot him in the head. That'll teach him for changing the radio station so much.

For his crime Charles received a death sentence and not even the Supreme Court would give him a stay of execution. However, they did bake him a cake in the shape of a rocket ship. It was made with the lightest flower, creamiest butter, and sweetest sugar Charles had ever eaten. It did ease the blow.

When the execution time came Charles was strapped to a gurney and two IV lines were fed into either arm. One is the main line used for the drugs and the other is a used as a backup. The needles are sterilised to prevent infection, which many people say is ridiculous, but whose laughing now with the swine flu heading our way. The death row prisoners sure aren't.

A number of drugs were administered in sequence. First, an anaesthetic that renders the prisoner unconcious. Second, a muscle relaxant that stops the lungs. Third, a drug that causes cardiac arrest. If this does not kill the prisoner the government will pass laws until they are sure the prisoner is dead.

Just before the injection Charles would have given a final statement in front of God and the execution witnesses. Prison records show he made a prayer to Allah and then said "I think Oscar Wilde's last words were 'Either these curtains go or I do.'" He was right but it didn't matter.

Charles died seven minutes after being injected. His body was transported to the Medical Examiner's morgue. The mechanic had nothing to say about the execution.