Execution Practice Not Humane, According to Judge

Missouri’s revised protocol for lethal injection executions are still not conducted humanely enough, said a judge who halted the state’s executions on June 26 citing “numerous problems.”

Among the faulty protocol, U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan Jr. said that Missouri needs a board certified anesthesiologist during executions to ensure that the lethal injection does not pose any risk for unnecessary pain and suffering to the inmate.

The state claims they were unable to find an anesthesiologist who would participate in the injection, so they asked to use another doctor, a nurse, or pharmacist to prepare the medication used to euthanize inmates.

Missouri’s new execution proposal “is an improvement over the current procedure,” Gaitan said. “However, there continue to be inadequacies with the personnel required to monitor and oversee” the lethal injection procedure.

According to Gaitan, “Missouri’s current lethal injection procedure subjects condemned inmates to unnecessary risk of unconstitutional pain and suffering.”

The state will devise a new execution plan.  

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