Execution of Serial Killer Creech Halted in Idaho Due to Failed Lethal Injection
In a shocking turn of events, the state of Idaho halted the execution of notorious serial killer Thomas Eugene Creech on Wednesday. The medical team assigned to carry out the lethal injection repeatedly failed to find a suitable vein, forcing them to abandon the procedure. Creech, now 73 years old, has been in prison for over 50 years, convicted of five murders in three different states and suspected of several more. His execution was scheduled as a result of his brutal beating and murder of fellow inmate David Dale Jensen in 1981.
Creech, one of the longest-serving death row inmates in the United States, was wheeled into the execution chamber at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution at 10 a.m. Three medical team members made a total of eight unsuccessful attempts to establish an intravenous line. Despite their efforts to access various veins in his arms, legs, hands, and feet, they encountered difficulties either with vein accessibility or concerns about vein quality. At one point, a member of the medical team had to leave to gather additional supplies.
The decision to halt the execution was announced by the warden at 10:58 a.m. The Idaho Department of Corrections stated that Creech’s death warrant would expire, and they were considering their next steps. While alternative methods of execution might be available, the department is mindful of the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Creech’s lawyers wasted no time and immediately filed a motion for a stay in U.S. District Court, arguing that the failed execution attempt demonstrated the department’s inability to carry out a humane and constitutional execution. The court granted the stay after Idaho confirmed that they would not make another attempt before the death warrant expired.
The use of unknown individuals with undisclosed training to carry out an execution has come under scrutiny. The Federal Defender Services of Idaho criticized the state’s choice of personnel, stating, “This is what happens when unknown individuals with unknown training are assigned to carry out an execution.” They had previously warned about the potential mishaps that could occur when attempting to execute one of the country’s oldest death row inmates.
Six Idaho officials, including Attorney General Raul Labrador, and four news media representatives, including an Associated Press reporter, were present to witness the execution. The execution team consisted entirely of volunteers with medical training, although their identities were concealed by white balaclava-style face coverings and navy scrub caps. Each attempt to insert an IV involved a meticulous process of cleaning the skin, injecting a numbing solution, and positioning the needles. Throughout the procedure, Creech frequently looked towards his family members and representatives who were seated in a separate witness room. His arms were secured to the table, but he often extended his fingers towards them, seemingly trying to reach out.
Following the halt of the execution, the warden approached Creech and whispered to him for several minutes while giving his arm a squeeze. Creech’s legal team had made multiple appeals to delay his execution, including claims of unfairness during his clemency hearing and constitutional issues regarding his sentencing. They also questioned the state’s lack of transparency regarding the lethal drug, pentobarbital, and its administration. However, all these appeals were unsuccessful, and Creech’s last hope for reprieve through a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied mere hours before the scheduled execution.
In preparation for his execution, Creech spent time with his wife on Tuesday night and enjoyed a final meal that included fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and ice cream. Outside the prison, a group of around 15 protesters gathered, at one point singing “Amazing Grace” as a solemn tribute.
Creech’s criminal history spans multiple states. Although he was acquitted of a killing in Tucson, Arizona, in 1973, authorities believe he committed the crime as he used the victim’s credit card to travel to Oregon. Subsequently, he was convicted of a 1974 murder in Oregon and another in California, where he traveled after being granted a weekend pass from a psychiatric hospital. In Idaho, he was arrested for killing John Wayne Bradford and Edward Thomas Arnold, two house painters who had given him and his girlfriend a ride while they were hitchhiking. Creech was already serving a life sentence for those murders when he beat disabled inmate David Dale Jensen to death in 1981. Jensen’s family members described him as a gentle soul who loved hunting and the outdoors. His daughter spoke about the pain of growing up without a father.
Supporters of Creech claim that he has undergone significant personal transformation during his time in prison. He married the mother of a correctional officer several years ago, and former prison staff members attest to his poetic writing and expressions of gratitude for their work. However, during his clemency hearing, Ada County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jill Longhorst argued that Creech remained a psychopath with no remorse or empathy.
The failed execution has brought attention to the challenges faced by various states when carrying out lethal injections. In Alabama, the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith was postponed due to problems with IV lines, leading to an internal review and a temporary pause in executions. Smith eventually became the first person to be executed using nitrogen gas. Similarly, in 2014, Oklahoma faced difficulties during the lethal injection of Clayton Lockett, who began writhing after being declared unconscious. An investigation revealed that his IV line had come loose, resulting in a prolonged and controversial execution.
In Idaho, lawmakers have authorized execution by firing squad as an alternative when lethal injection is not viable. However, the state has yet to establish a standard operating policy or construct a facility for such executions. Implementing this new law would likely trigger legal challenges, as seen in other states.