Court halts Maryland executions

[Judi Lynn]

Dec. 19, 2006, 5:00PM
Court halts Maryland executions

By BRIAN WITTE Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

BALTIMORE, Md. — An appeals court in Maryland ruled Tuesday that state executions cannot proceed until a legislative panel reviews parts of the manual that spell out the protocol for lethal injections.

The Maryland Court of Appeals said the manual was never given a public hearing or properly submitted to a joint committee before the Department of Corrections adopted it.

The ruling comes as states nationwide are scrutinizing lethal injection procedures. Last week, a moratorium was placed on executions in Florida after a lethal injection was botched. Executions also are halted in Missouri and California because of lethal injection concerns.

The manual defines which drugs are used in a lethal injection and how the injection occurs. Like many states, Maryland uses three drugs during executions. Sodium pentothal makes the inmate unconscious, pancurium bromide paralyzes the inmate's breathing, and potassium chloride stops the heart.
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4413912.html

[sam sarrha]

1. Oh, one other thing... the Death Penalty has never been scientifically proven to be Punishment

although every study has proven it NOT TO BE A DETERRENT TO CRIME..!!!

but since politicians promise to execute prisoners in custody if elected knowing it is not a deterrent to crime, then.. IT is is 'Blood Sacrifice' for Votes.! ..which is Murder, so every politician that has used it for political gain is complicit in Murder and should also be executed, because there is no statute of limitations on murder

[RProser]

2. Well, it DOES deter those executed from ever killing again - and this

is a current topic in Maryland where two inmates, both lifers without parole for previous murders, will stand trial in the killing a guard five months ago. This time around, the prosecutors will seek the death penalty.

It's not a sweeping ruling that the death penalty is unconstitutional - and it actually affirmed the death sentence for double-murderer Vernon Evans. But adding a technical issue, the court ruled that the process (three-drug execution cocktail)developed by the state, didn't comply with the Administrative Procedure Act. There are two fixes, either legislation or a procedural action by Maryland's Director of Public Safety and a legislative panel.

Stand by to stand by - incoming Gov-elect Martin O'Malley was quoted by the Wash Post: "I'm very much in favor of life without parole for people who shoot, maim and kill others time and time again." (The Post didn't say what he favored for those who only shoot, maim and kill occasionally.)