Alabama executions should be reviewed by an independent group of faith leaders
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — More than 170 pastors and other faith leaders on Tuesday urged Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey must authorize an independent review for execution procedures in Oklahoma. Tennessee After a series of failed lethal injections in these states, he did.
The group applauded Ivey for taking the “bold and necessary step” of ordering a review Alabama execution procedures were halted after intravenous lines were not located during three lethal injections. But, the governor of Alabama ordered that an outside review be undertaken. In November, Ivey ordered that the Alabama Department of Corrections review the executions.
“Given the gravity of what has transpired, we respectfully request a comprehensive, independent, and external review of Alabama’s death penalty procedures,” they wrote in a letter delivered to Ivey’s Alabama Capitol Office on Tuesday.
The faith leaders said the review should be conducted openly — and by a person or group other than the Alabama Department of Corrections. “The fact of the matter is that an agency that has failed repeatedly to get its own house in order cannot be trusted to privately conduct an investigation into problems it is causing,” they wrote.
The group mentioned the example of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who was elected to the Senate in Tennessee. authorized a state review After admitting that the state did not properly test its lethal injection drug, The review was conducted by a former U.S. Attorney. The review found that Tennessee had not followed its lethal injection procedure since 2018. This led to several executions without proper drug testing.
A review Oklahoma also saw the execution of Clayton Lockett in 2014. Lockett was unable to stand for 43 minutes after the first drug was administered. He was then declared dead. The review A separate state agency was responsible for the execution. It was later learned that members of the execution team had improperly inserted an IV into a vein in Lockett’s groin.
Independent Oklahoma Death Penalty Review Commission Also, the state procedures are scrutinized.
Ivey expressed concern for victims’ families and ordered the Alabama review. “For the sake of the victims and their families, we’ve got to get this right,” Ivey said.
Gina Maiola, Ivey spokeswoman, said that the state is responsible for carrying out executions. “This is a responsibility Governor Ivey takes very seriously, and as she has made very clear along the way, this will review remain transparent as is appropriate, while also protecting sensitive information,” she continued.
Alabama has not yet made any changes that would make it easier for death sentences to be carried out. At Ivey’s request, the Alabama Supreme Court gave the state a longer amount of time Executions can be performed by authorizing death warrants that allow for executions lasting more than 24 hours.
Ivey announced that executions would be halted after the third round. failed lethal injection In the state. After failing to connect an intravenous line within the time frame of 100 minutes between the time the court cleared it and the midnight deadline, the state canceled Kenneth Eugene Smith’s November execution.
The state rescheduled Alan Miller’s execution in September after he had difficulty getting into his veins. Alabama in 2018 halted the execution of Doyle Hamm due to difficulties connecting the intravenous lines. His lawyer claimed that Hamm had suffered from vein damage due to lymphoma and hepatitis, as well as past drug use.
In July, the state executed the execution but it took three hours to complete due to the same problem when starting an IV line.