Hundreds of Inmates Line Up to Become Organ Donors

[okarol]

Hundreds of Inmates Line Up to Become Organ Donors

June 14th, 2007 @ 6:08am
by Bob McClay/KTAR

Hundreds of inmates at the Maricopa County Tent City Jail facility lined up yesterday to say "I Do."

That's their response to the question: Who wants to be an organ donor?

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is asking all 10,000 county jail inmates to become a part of the voluntary program.

Arpaio says that if he had to take one of the organs of a deceased inmate, he'd be appreciative.

"If I needed a heart, you think to save my life you think I'm going to say I'm not going to take that heart? Because that guy killed 50 people, I could care less. I want the heart. Who cares where the heart came from, right?"

Robert Fullerton and Patrick Beers were two of the inmates who signed up. They see it as an opportunity to do something good. "We might as well do the best we can do. We're not all bad. We're just in here for stupid mess ups."

"We all just got to do what we gotta do. And this is just part of what we gotta do."

Austin Flowers also said "I Do" to becoming an organ donor. "You know, we're probably all going to die before you guys will, so I think this is a great thing because our organs are pretty important considering the risks we take with our lives everyday.

"And I'm willing to donate any organ possible because all mine are good and healthy and all mine are usable and I think if I can help somebody that's hurting and help a family in need, then so be it."

The sheriff says the effort gives the inmates a chance to do something good with their lives while increasing awareness for the need for organ donations.

According to donor network websites, there are about 100,000 people nationwide who are waiting for an organ transplant.

http://news.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=512953

[tamara]

After reading this  got me thinkin scary i know, anyway about the executions that occur in America, and that the kidney's that  could be used from these deaths.

Does anybody know if they are ?

Wikipedia, if this can be a trusted source said there were 53 executions in the U.S in 2006.

Thats 53 more people with the chance of having a transplant.

[BigSky]

After reading this  got me thinkin scary i know, anyway about the executions that occur in America, and that the kidney's that  could be used from these deaths.

Does anybody know if they are ?

Wikipedia, if this can be a trusted source said there were 53 executions in the U.S in 2006.

Thats 53 more people with the chance of having a transplant.

From what I have read they are not.  They are usually damaged as a result of the execution process.  At least that was what was said here when I person up for execution wanted to donate their organs.