A divine intervention?

Death row inmate Peter Farmington has been released from prison following two failed executions. 

In March 2006, Farmington pled guilty to three counts of first degree murder; of his wife and two children. 

He was sentenced to death in late 2013. Tennessee has two methods of execution and allow the prisoner to choose between lethal injection and the electric chair. 

Farmington chose death by lethal injection. There are three drugs given to someone being executed. Sodium thiopental is the first of these drugs. It is designed to render the prisoner unconscious. They will then be given bromide which causes paralysis and finally potassium chloride which induces cardiac arrest. 

Astonishingly, Farmington resisted thiopental. Generally it takes about 30 seconds to take effect. They waited ten minutes before re-dosing and when nothing happened after that the execution was postponed. 

Dr Robert Liston was the medical examiner on staff; 

“I have never seen anything like it in all my years as a medical doctor.” Said Liston. “Sodium thiopental is not something someone can generally be ‘immune’ to, but Farmington’s body did not react. The drug should have hit him within 30 seconds. We waited over ten minutes, then dosed him again. Nothing.”

The second execution was scheduled for last week. Farmington opted for death by electrocution. Joseph Goldsmith, the prison warden, said; 

“Farmington chose to not go through lethal injection a second time, and opted for electrocution.” Said Goldsmith. “We hadn’t fired up ol’ sparky since 2007, but it was his choice and we honored it.”

Staff were stunned when yet again, Farmington escaped death when the electric chair failed to operate. 

“We threw those switches, and on the third flip, you’re supposed to see sparks fly, but we saw nothing.” Said Goldsmith. “We got Farmington out of the chair, hooked everything back up, fired it up, and it worked like a charm. We didn’t even try putting him back in again.”

Federal law states that any inmate who survived his execution twice is immediately granted a full pardon. 

“We wish Farmington all the best in his new life outside prison walls.” Said Governor Bill Haslam as he signed Farmington’s release forms. “This man may be a bloodthirsty, violent individual, but some higher power has given him a second chance at life. We certainly hope he uses it for something better this time around.”

Goldsmith says Farmington's survival was 'divine intervention'. “We have two methods of execution in the state of Tennessee.” said Goldsmith. “It is has always been our tradition to let the inmate choose how they want to go. Mr. Farmington is the first person to try their hand at both options. We are taking it as a sign from God that this man is just not meant to die.”