The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services announced last Friday that they have obtained four drugs that they plan to use in the lethal injection of Jose Sandoval. Included in the news release was a copy of the letter to Sandoval listing the order and dosages of the drugs to be used, as is required by law. After a mandatory sixty day waiting period, Attorney General Doug Peterson plans to ask the Nebraska Supreme Court for an execution warrant.
The drugs to be used are diazepam (an anesthetic) , fentanyl citrate (an opioid), cisatracurium besylate (a paralytic), and potassium chloride (which stops the heart). This experimental combination of drugs has never been used before for an execution in the United States. It's similar to a drug cocktail that the state of Nevada had planned to use to execute Scott Dozier this week, but that execution was stayed due to a judge's concern that the use of cisatracurium besylate may conceal signs of the inmate experiencing an unconstitutionally inhumane death.
The state did not disclose where the drugs came from or if the supplier was informed of their intended use. Even for those who support the death penalty, no one wants a botched execution in Nebraska, particularly for the sake of the correctional officers and journalists who have to be involved. The taking of the life of a citizen is a very serious matter with absolutely no room for error. Nebraskans cannot and will not accept experimentation in this process.
Please contact Governor Ricketts and your state Senator to politely express your concern about the state using your tax dollars to experiment with a lethal injection process that may or may not work. The governor's contact information is below: Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 94848
Lincoln, NE 68509-4848
If you don't know who your state Senator is, you can find out here. Once you find your Senator, click on the link to their web page to see their contact information. A quick note or call to your representative will make a big impact, as the next legislative session begins in January.
Towards Justice, -Matt