Friday, February 19, 2010
Kentucky's Execution Protocol Revised
KENTUCKY....
Less than a month after the first public hearing on the state’s execution protocol, the Kentucky Public Safety and Justice Cabinet has revised its proposed lethal injection protocol, removing the possibility that a condemned inmate will have deadly chemicals injected into his neck if attempts to find other veins fail. Other changes include the state agreeing to include details about the handling of the chemicals used and how to stop the execution of an inmate who drops his appeals and volunteers to die, but changes his mind once the process starts. The proposed protocol also adds details on how an electrocution would be conducted, as well as how to handle a pregnant death row inmate. In response to multiple comments, the Justice Cabinet cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2007 decision upholding the state’s lethal injection protocol as constitutional as reasons for not making some of the suggested changes to the protocol. In November, the Kentucky Supreme Court halted executions until the state readopted its protocol. Gov. Steve Beshear has the final say on whether to put the new regulations in place and resume executions.
Less than a month after the first public hearing on the state’s execution protocol, the Kentucky Public Safety and Justice Cabinet has revised its proposed lethal injection protocol, removing the possibility that a condemned inmate will have deadly chemicals injected into his neck if attempts to find other veins fail. Other changes include the state agreeing to include details about the handling of the chemicals used and how to stop the execution of an inmate who drops his appeals and volunteers to die, but changes his mind once the process starts. The proposed protocol also adds details on how an electrocution would be conducted, as well as how to handle a pregnant death row inmate. In response to multiple comments, the Justice Cabinet cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2007 decision upholding the state’s lethal injection protocol as constitutional as reasons for not making some of the suggested changes to the protocol. In November, the Kentucky Supreme Court halted executions until the state readopted its protocol. Gov. Steve Beshear has the final say on whether to put the new regulations in place and resume executions.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 5:12 AM 
