© 2026 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our daily newsletter, delivered first thing weekdays, keeps you connected to your community with news, culture, national NPR headlines, and more.

Is Lethal Injection Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

Death row inmate Steven Oken contested Maryland's method of performing lethal injections, claiming it violated the constitutional right against cruel and unusual punishment -- but he lost when the U.S. Supreme Court approved his execution. NPR's Mike Pesca reports on the medical effects of lethal injection, and the argument over the method's constitutionality.

Copyright 2004 NPR

Tags
Mike Pesca first reached the airwaves as a 10-year-old caller to a New York Jets-themed radio show and has since been able to parlay his interests in sports coverage as a National Desk correspondent for NPR based in New York City.
Thanks to you, WUSF is here — delivering fact-based news and stories that reflect our community.⁠ Your support powers everything we do.