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Oklahoma Drug Switch Approved

By Steve Hall

"Judge allows new lethal injection drug for Oklahoma executions" is the Oklahoman report by Michael Baker.  It's from the Saturday paper. A federal judge ruled Friday that Oklahoma can use a drug regularly given in physician-assisted suicide and animal euthanasia in its lethal injection formula for death row inmates.Oklahoma is likely to become the first state to use the pentobarbital for lethal injection on Dec. 16, when the state's next execution is scheduled.The use of pentobarbital ?falls short of the level of risk? considered cruel and unusual punishment by the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S District Judge Stephen P. Friot said after a hearing in his Oklahoma City courtroom.Friot's ruling means the stay of execution for inmate Jeffrey Matthews expires today and his execution will be rescheduled by the state Court of Criminal Appeals...continue to full post

Full post as published by StandDown Texas Project on November 22, 2010 (boomark / email).