Supreme Court Upholds Controversial Lethal Injection

 

By Pete Williams and Tracy Connor

Oklahoma and other states can continue to execute death-row prisoners with a three-drug combination that includes a chemical used in several prolonged or botched lethal injections, a divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday.

Lawyers for death row inmates in Oklahoma had argued that the state's current combination of three chemicals for lethal injections amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. They argued the first drug, midazolam, does not reliably induce a deep unconsciousness, leaving a prisoner susceptible to searing pain caused by the two follow-on injections. 

In a 5-4 decision, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the prisoners who brought the case failed to identify an alternative method of execution that had a lower risk of pain.  

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Source: NBC News