US state delays seven executions to secure new drugs

[Lite Beer]

US state delays seven executions to secure new drugs

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US state of Ohio is postponing the execution of seven death row inmates, officials said Friday, following several botched lethal injection killings across the country last year.

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) said it had put a hold on the executions while it secured new lethal injection drugs.

Earlier this month, the department revised its drug protocol following the bungled January 2014 execution of Dennis McGuire, who appeared to be gasping for air during the process that lasted 26 minutes, instead of the expected 10 minutes.

The drug cocktail used to kill McGuire included the sedative midazolam, which is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and has been used in several bungled executions in the United States.

In a statement, the DRC "announced revised execution dates for seven inmates... to continue necessary preparations for the adoption and implementation of the new execution protocol."

"The new dates are also designed to provide DRC adequate time to secure a supply of the new execution drugs."

Six of the seven executions were due to take place in 2015, but as a result of the delay, Ohio will not carry out any executions this year.

Four scheduled for later in 2016 remain in place.

Midazolam has been used in two other botched executions, in Oklahoma in April and in Arizona in July, where inmates showed signs of suffocation, choking and suffering during lengthy killings.

On Wednesday, the US Supreme Court stayed the executions of three death-row prisoners in Oklahoma pending its review of the drugs used by the state for lethal injections.

In 2008, the court ruled that lethal injection was constitutional, and not a violation of the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

But since then, a majority of states have changed their drug protocols due to a shortage of the products used in the past

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/US-state-delays-seven-executions-to-secure-new-dru-30253099.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-31

[connda]

Just go to the local Dog Pound in any Ohio city. I'm sure they all have plenty of phenobarbital for putting down dogs.

[Gonzo the Face]

Slow or painful or inhumane was never brought up in the time of the firing squad..........never squirmed and moaned for half an hour.... all the time gotta try and improve everything.......

[Dumbastheycome]

Hmmm. How droll. Is this an embarrassing human rights issue????

[F430murci]

Human rights issue. Versed is the bomb! I have it many times for presurgery or pre procedure tests. That stuff makes you feel better than anything else I have ever experienced. These guys may be gasping for air, that is to try and live a little longer to enjoy the high.

I did have a case on e where a nurse administered 6 mgs of Versed during a Liptotriptor procedure and the patient calmly slipped into a deep sleep and never woke up.

I think it us the other drugs in the cocktail causing the gasping, but those guys have no clue as to what is happening because Versed over 2 mg is such a strong hypnotic.

[F430murci]

Why not stop killing people, also torturing (Guantanamo etc) and become part of the civilized world?

Because that's the way we roll.

[poweratradio]

Hmmm. How droll. Is this an embarrassing human rights issue????

Yes it is just like the solitary confinement issue of keeping a dangerous inmate segregated in solitary confinement 23 hours a day. Some beg for death after this.

[maynard420]

Who <deleted>@aing cares, they should use a drain and pipe cleaner, make it hurt like hell before they die, they do not deserve to die peacefully they deserve to feel the pain that they inflicted on there victims, hope they are send to Allah's world and are raped by the terrorist that think they get 72 virgin's but instead they get a murderer for a bitch in heaven or wherever they go.

[englishoak]

Who <deleted>@aing cares, they should use a drain and pipe cleaner, make it hurt like hell before they die, they do not deserve to die peacefully they deserve to feel the pain that they inflicted on there victims, hope they are send to Allah's world and are raped by the terrorist that think they get 72 virgin's but instead they get a murderer for a bitch in heaven or wherever they go.

Quality member..............

[maidee]

they should lhe inmates play : paper rock sissor

the winner gets the first shot