On Thursday, Gov. Bill Haslam approved legislation that would permit the alternate execution method of “Death By Chocolate” for death row inmates in the situation where it is not possible to obtain the drugs used for lethal injections.
The law was drafted because of the increasing difficulty that states have been facing regarding obtaining lethal injection drugs, primarily from European pharmaceutical companies, due to the negative attitudes the companies have toward capital punishment.
Anti-death penalty advocates have claimed that the law is unconstitutional and would qualify as being “cruel and unusual punishment.”
“There is nothing cruel about being bathed in rich, creamy milk chocolate,” said Haslam. “Some would call it luxurious, and I can’t think of a more humane – and delicious – way to die.”
The legislation specified that “Death By Chocolate” would not necessarily count as an inmate’s last meal request.
