Legal Research

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Common Method of Lethal Injections

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: Law.com Newswire Highlights, April 16, 2008.

Supreme Court Upholds Common Method of Lethal Injections That Uses 3 Drugs to Kill Inmates
The Associated Press

"The Supreme Court upheld the most common method of lethal injection executions Wednesday, likely clearing the way to resume executions in the U.S. that have been on hold for nearly seven months. The justices, by a 7-2 vote, turned back a constitutional challenge to the procedures in place in the state of Kentucky, which uses three drugs to sedate, paralyze and kill inmates. Similar methods are used by roughly three dozen states. Chief Justice John Roberts' opinion did leave open subsequent challenges to lethal injection practices if a state refused to adopt an alternative method that significantly reduced the risk of severe pain."

Baze v. Rees No. 07-5439

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on April 16, 2008 (boomark / email).