MCG president changes mind on doctors' role in executions

AUGUSTA - Backing off a request that the state furnish its own doctors for executions, the head of the Medical College of Georgia said school physicians would continue to assist the procedures. <br> <br> MCG President Daniel W. Rahn apologized Friday for an ``overly strong&#39;&#39; Jan. 16 letter to Corrections Commissioner Jim Weatherington in which he objected to a physician employed by MCG&#39;s Georgia Correctional Health Care being asked to confirm death after executions. <br> <br> ``I&#39;ve had conversations with the commissioner, and I&#39;m satisfied that at present the role of GCHC physicians is acceptable,&#39;&#39; Rahn said. <br> <br> In his Jan. 16 letter, Rahn wrote that even though the MCG physician is not asked to administer the intravenous chemicals, ``even his presence in the death chamber could compromise his provider relationship with the inmate population.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Ronald K. Spivey was executed Thursday in what was to be the MCG physician&#39;s last procedure. <br> <br> The state, which pays about $109 million a year to GCHC and MCG to provide medical services at about 80 facilities, was prepared to ask a second staff physician to pronounce death at executions, corrections spokesman Scott Stallings said. <br> <br> Execution guidelines call for two physicians to pronounce death after a lethal injection is administered.