US Supreme Court issues stay in execution of Texas inmate

» What happened: In 1995, Buck was convicted of double-murder in Houston, Texas, and sentenced to death. Buck’s guilt is not being disputed; however, during the sentencing phase, a psychologist testified that black criminals are more likely than other races to pose a threat to the public if released. Buck’s lawyers contest that this testimony–which was denounced in 2000 by then-Texas Attorney General John Cornyn–played a role in Buck’s sentence, and asked Governor Rick Perry and the district attorney to grant Buck a retrial. Perry and the DA refused the request, but the US Supreme Court intervened today, issuing a stay in his execution just four hours before his execution was set to take place. The court has yet to rule on a request for a resentencing.

Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

old Lethal injections in the state of Ohio, a controversial issue from the get-go, used to be made from sodium thiopental. The company that makes the drug relocated to Italy, however, and the country refused to allow production if it was to be used for the death penalty.
new The first execution since took place today, as inmate Johnnie Baston was injected with pentobarbital, typically used to kill horses. As the drug was administered on its own with no customary blend of tested drugs, this has raised the ire of prisoner rights advocates. source

Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

This will be a challenge for [medical] customers and we regret that. But we don’t want to put our Italian facility at risk that the product will be misused.
Hospira spokeswoman Tareta Adams • Discussing the company’s decision to pull a key drug used in lethal executions off the market. The drug, thiopental sodium, is widely used by prisons all over the country, but in the wake of manufacturing issues in 2009, they had to stop producing the product. They were about to restart production at an italian factory, but an order by that country’s parliament forced Hospira to agree not to allow the Italian-produced drugs to be used in lethal injections in the U.S. So now, American prisons will be screwed or forced to use other medications to do the same thing. In Oklahoma, the drug pentobarbital, usually used to put animals down, was used in an execution there after a court decision. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

Well, I’d like to say thank you to my family for being here and all my friends, and Boomer Sooner.
Arizona death row inmate Jeffrey Landrigan • Making his famous last words before his death by lethal injection. “Boomer Sooner”? Apparently this guy lived in Oklahoma and was a big college football fan before being convicted in the murder of Chester Dean Dyer way back in 1989. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Sep 2011 22:33