"Today, we have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to ensure that our the public and the courts have meaningful access to relevant information regarding how the State of Texas plans to put to death our client, Michael Yowell. In this case, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice did not reveal information about the drug it intended to use for his execution until one week before the scheduled execution date.
In carrying out Mr. Yowell's execution, the state of Texas intends to use compounded penobarbital, for the first time. This shift to compounded drugs is a dramatic change from prior practice - making the need for oversight - now and in the future - that much more important.
To permit the TDCJ to wait until the last minute to disclose such crucial information essentially shields them from any review, allowing it to make decisions about how to execute people without any accountability or transparency. Surely this is not the way we want our government to carry out its gravest duty.”
-- Maurie Levin and Bobbie Stratton, October 9, 2013
Earlier coverage of the Texas lethal injection dispute begins at the link.
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