The federal judge's decision on Saturday, meanwhile, was in response to a lawsuit on behalf of the inmates that argued an execution with midazolam would violate their rights. Midazolam has been used in a number of high-profile botched executions, including instances where inmates did not appear to be fully sedated when they received the painful second and third drugs in the cocktail. The suit argued there was an unacceptably high risk they would suffer during the executions.
The judge determined that their concerns were sufficient to halt the executions for the time being, to allow the issue to be considered by the courts.
Hutchinson and state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge have been pushing to carry out the executions anyway. But they are on a tight schedule: Executions were scheduled to begin Monday night, and if the legal proceedings take more than two weeks, the midazolam supply will have expired before any of the executions can take place.
The state has appealed both rulings and asked the higher courts to work quickly to review the decisions. The inmates on death row, meanwhile, have asked the courts to take the time and avoid a "rushed analysis."
Arkansas' attorney general also asked the state Supreme Court to reconsider the stay it granted one inmate, over questions about his mental health; the court rejected that request, keeping that stay in place, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.
If the rulings are overturned by Monday night, the state will be prepared to execute at least one inmate, according to local TV station KATV.
"Davis' exact schedule for the day is confidential but as part of the death protocol, he will be meeting with counsel and a spiritual adviser," KATV reports. "Authorities say a last meal has also been arranged."
Arkansas hasn't executed anybody for more than a decade, partly because of a series of legal challenges to the state's death penalty laws.
It's damn near impossible for someone to OD on benzo's alone. Sounds to me like it's fucking stupid, the way they're trying to execute people with this sub-par cocktail. Benzo+opiate+poison.
Just kill me with a guillotine if I ever have to get executed. Instant death.
Jayden Perez
They can't get barbiturates or they would use those. Arkansas doesn't actually use opiates, that would help I think. I remember in some state they were using hydromorphone I think and they had to use way more than initially expected in combination with the midazolam and the potassium chloride.
William Foster
Beheading is for politicians, elites/nobility and traitors only. A properly executed hanging is what you want. Preferably public.
Angel Long
Yes.
Fuck these judges and bleeding heart cock sucking lawyers.
Easton Lee
Who gives a fuck. It's instant death either way, it's the one way I'd want to go- just chop my head off.
Nathan Foster
What ever happened to a fucking rope and tree?
A maple tree. Not a silver maple because they are brittle.
Jose Lopez
No. Life in prison is a far worse, and far cheaper penalty.
Juan Jackson
Firing line would be better. Dying from an overdose is horrifying.
Dylan Gray
personally i dont, i support lifetime hard labor though
Carson Gray
I mean it would be peaceful if they give you enough. I'm not sure why they couldn't use IV fentanyl and midazolam in great enough amounts but it seems like they are skimping on quantity and just midazolam with no opiate seems like a shitty way to go.
Jack Martin
thats why we need to bring back hangings. Televise that shit and use the revenue for education.
Isaac Young
I've experienced ODing and I can only describe it as drowning. In your head you're still trying to do shit but it's like you're being cut off from being able to breath, feel, see, hear, and in your head you're struggling.
Cooper Gomez
Hang the motherfuckers by the neck until dead.
Jaxon James
On what though? The idea would be benzos make you not aware of your breathing.
Owen Ross
Why not just put them under with a ansestiologist, then open a fucking vein?
Landon Foster
Yeah, I guess codeine is different. You may be right but I get the feeling that it doesn't feel the way you imagine it would.
Levi Roberts
lets just start breaking peoples necks in executions or some shit. injecting 3 different cocktails into them is complicated af.
Christopher Hughes
Texarkana here. Just use firing squad and save money.
Isaac Lee
A rope is cheaper
Jonathan Thompson
I don't think any anesthesiologist would be willing to perform an execution. AMA guidelines tell doctors not to participate in them.
Would be pretty hard to die from codeine.
Parker Taylor
Why?
Its the current year and they stilll can't finish the job. Why not use heroin.
Juan Peterson
It wasn't fun.
Michael Turner
Yes. I don't believe in "life" sentences. either reform the criminal, or if it's determined that the person in question can't be reformed, just get rid of them.
Julian Martinez
The real issue here is that all the Pharmaceutical companies that make Barbituates are owned by cucked Europeans that won't allow their drugs to be used for executions. Meanwhile these same companies have no problems with these same drugs being used in assisted suicides for healthy people with ((((mental distress))) in The Netherlands.
Carson Diaz
Firing squad executions are available by request of the condemned in some states, last one happened in Utah around 2010 I think.
But, if it is the European companies that are a problem, couldn't some state just just make a state owned company or something and just make drugs used in lethal injections and sell them to other states that need them?
