Feb. 28 (UPI) — Idaho Wednesday stopped the execution of serial killer Thomas Eugene Creech when executioners failed to establish an IV line for the lethal injection.
Creech was returned to his cell.
An Idaho Department of Corrections statement said, “At approximately 11a.m., Director Tewalt, after consulting with the medical team leader, determined that the medical team could not establish an IV line, rendering the execution unable to proceed.”
The statement added, “The State will consider next steps.”
Before the botched execution, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan Wednesday denied a request to stay the execution.
The Supreme Court denial said, “The application for a stay of execution of sentence of death presented to Justice Kagan and by her referred to the court is denied. The edition for a writ of certiorari is denied.”
Deborah A. Czuba, a Creech attorney with the Federal Defenders Services of Idaho, said in a statement, “We are angered but not surprised that the state of Idaho botched the execution of Thomas Creech today. This is what happens when unknown individuals with unknown training are assigned to carry out an execution.”
According to a 1993 U.S. Supreme Court opinion Creech admitted to killing or participating in the killing of at least 26 people.
In 1982 Creech told Idaho Judge Robert Newhouse he wanted to be put to death by lethal injection after pleading guilty to the murder of a fellow Idaho State Penitentiary inmate David Dale Jensen.
Creech was described by prosecutors as a sociopath and the most prolific serial killer in Idaho with no regard for human life.
