Federal Court Postpones Death Row Inmate’s Execution Over Drug Details

On Saturday, a panel of federal judges postponed the execution of Arizona death row inmate Joseph Wood because of arguments from Wood’s lawyers regarding the drugs that were to be used for the execution.

Wood, 55, is in death row for shooting and killing his estranged girlfriend and her father in 1989. According to the inmate’s lawyers, prison officials violated Wood’s First Amendment rights by denying him information on the makers of drugs that will be used to put him to death, The Blaze reports.

Wood’s motion for injunction to stop his execution was filed last month, together with five other inmates. The stay was granted 4 days before Wood’s scheduled execution.

In a report from LA Times, Judge Sidney R. Thomas said that different states have had a hard time getting drugs that are typically used for executions. These states have already passed laws to protect the identities producing the lethal injection drugs, as well as the identities of executioners.

However, he also cited that there have been several flawed executions that happened this year that sparked questions regarding the quality and types of drugs that should be used for death row inmates when they are executed.

Although the state has revealed the type of drug that will be used, Wood and his lawyers are still seeking more information about the drug’s manufacturer and the certification and qualifications of the authorities who will be carrying out the death row inmate’s execution.

Since 2011, Arizona has been using pentobarbital for executing death row inmates. In April, however, Wood’s lawyers received a notice from the state saying that they were using a new combination of drugs, as they can no longer get pentobarbital.

The same combination of drugs were used in the execution of Ohio death row inmate Dennis McGuire. Witnesses to his execution said, “McGuire started struggling and gasping loudly for air, making snorting and choking sounds which lasted for at least 10 minutes, with his chest heaving and his fist clenched. Deep, rattling sounds emanated from his mouth.”

Another flawed execution was that of death row inmate Clayton Lockett in Oklahoma. In April, Lockett was executed, but he died of a heart attack more than 40 minutes after the drugs were introduced to his system. Before his death, witnesses said that Lockett groaned and was trying to speak. Officials called off the execution, but Lockett eventually died.

“Since Wood’s execution would likely not be delayed much, if at all, by giving him the information he seeks, the public interest factor weighs in Wood’s favor,” Judge Thomas said.

A spokesperson for the Arizona attorney general’s office said that the state would seek full appeals court to reconsider.

[Image via All Things Crime]