Friday, August 12, 2011

Dr. Jacqueline Martin, who testified by telephone from New York


The State also presented Dr. Jacqueline Martin, who testified by telephone from New York. Dr. Martin is a deputy chief medical examiner at the Georgia Bureau of Investigations where she has been employed since 2001 (T. 7/28 123). Dr. Martin performs autopsies and performs some administrative duties. In the course of her responsibilities as a medical examiner for the State of Georgia, Dr. Martin witnessed the execution of Roy Blankenship. She had witnessed two other executions (T. 7/28 124). 7
Dr. Martin was seated in the witness area, in the front row by the window separating the witness area from the execution chamber. She estimated she was about five feet away from the inmate (T. 7/28 125). Dr. Martin stated that she did not have a clear and unobstructed view of Mr. Blankenship, but then indicated she could see him clearly (T. 7/28 125-126). She described what she saw: When he -- when the warden left, about two to three minutes later, Mr. Blankenship looked to his left arm, he made some movement of his mouth, and then looked to his right arm, and then -- well, he kind of laid -- well, pushed his head towards the pillow and stayed put. (T. 7/28 129). Dr. Martin opined that she did not observe Mr. Blankenship to be in any pain (T. 7/28 136). Dr. Martin does not treat living patients and does not have experience in anesthesia (T. 7/28 134). She does not practice surgery or anesthesiology. Her only experience in a surgical setting witnessing somebody who's been sedated or induced anesthetically was as a medical student in 1984 or 1985 (T. 7/28 134). She does not recall how many times she might have witnessed someone being induced. Blankenship was the first execution that that she witnessed where pentobarbital was used (T. 7/28 135). The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, who employs Dr. Martin, is a law enforcement agency (T. 7/28 137). After the Blankenship execution, the Georgia state attorney's office asked Dr. Martin to produce an affidavit (T. 7/28 138).
Dr. Martin described Mr. Blankenship‘s facial expressions during the 8
execution: Mr. Blankenship, when he first looked towards his left hand, he opened and closed his mouth like he was chewing. He had no teeth -- no natural teeth, it was somewhat awkward, and then he went -- did the same thing looking to his right arm, and then he closed his mouth and stayed put. (T. 7/28 140).

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