Documents: Arizona tried to illegally import execution drug
ASTRID GALVAN, Associated Press

TUCSON, Arizona (AP) — Arizona tried to illegally import a lethal injection drug that's not approved in the U.S. but never obtained it after federal agents stopped the shipment at the Phoenix airport, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Arizona paid nearly $27,000 for sodium thiopental, an anesthetic that has been used to carry out executions but is no longer manufactured by FDA-approved companies, the documents said. When the drugs arrived via British Airways at the Phoenix International Airport, they were seized by federal officials and have not been released, according to the documents.

"The department is contesting FDA's legal authority to continue to withhold the state's execution chemicals," state Department of Corrections spokesman Andrew Wilder said Thursday. The documents obtained by the AP were released as part of a lawsuit against the department over transparency in executions. The AP is a party in the lawsuit.

Arizona and other death penalty states have been struggling to obtain legal execution drugs for several years after European companies refused to sell the drugs, including sodium thiopental, that are needed to carry out executions. States have had to change drug combinations or, in some cases, put executions on hold temporarily as they look for other options.

Arizona is not the only state that has tried to purchase drugs overseas. Earlier this year, Nebraska was told by the FDA that it could not legally import the drug it needed to carry out lethal injection after the governor said the state had obtained sodium thiopental from India.

Ohio, which has halted executions until at least 2017 because of a lack of drugs, sent a letter earlier this month to the FDA asserting that the state believes it can obtain a lethal-injection drug from overseas without violating any laws.

And Texas on Thursday said it had obtained a license from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to import sodium thiopental. However, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark could not say whether the state had purchased or received any drugs from overseas.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-10-23

What the hell is wrong with the federal government.

In this case they are interfering in State's rights.

One state, maybe Texas, should step up to the plate and build a laboratory just to manufacturer that one drug and sell it to all the other states.

What the hell is wrong with the federal government.

In this case they are interfering in State's rights.

One state, maybe Texas, should step up to the plate and build a laboratory just to manufacturer that one drug and sell it to all the other states.

Yes, if you were going to pick one state that loves to kill people then Texas is the one to do it!!!

Why not just use laughing gas? Cheaper, less painful or cruel.

What the hell is wrong with the federal government.

In this case they are interfering in State's rights.

One state, maybe Texas, should step up to the plate and build a laboratory just to manufacturer that one drug and sell it to all the other states.

More appropriately, what the hell is wrong with Arizona. We should give Texas back to Mexico, although that would probably be considered a hostile act.

It is difficult to believe an educated, modern and developed nation is being discussed.

Air tight room, vacuum pump, Nitrogen or Helium, pump out 0_2, pump in N or He, no problem. Humane, inexpensive, no problems with legalities.

<caveat: I'm not a death penalty advocate, but if you're gonna do it, stop making it so difficult>

What the hell is wrong with the federal government.

In this case they are interfering in State's rights.

One state, maybe Texas, should step up to the plate and build a laboratory just to manufacturer that one drug and sell it to all the other states.

More appropriately, what the hell is wrong with Arizona. We should give Texas back to Mexico, although that would probably be considered a hostile act.

I'm thinking you'd hear "Remember the Alamo" first. Texas is more likely to seceded that to ever become part of Mexico. And I agree: What the hell is so difficult about making phenobarbital? A small business specializing in Chemical Manufacturing should be able to accomplish that with a minimum of venture capital.

Sodium thiopental is the only drug that can kill people? I'm reading stories all the time recently about all these people are dying from marijuana overdoses in Colorado. That's got to be easy to find in Arizona. They should just use that instead...