Page 16 - KPA OCT 2, 2015

U.S. NEWS A5
Friday 2 October 2015

Oklahoma asks to delay executions after getting wrong drug

it received the wrong drug Glossip’s execution was re- den of the Oklahoma State
as it prepared to lethally in- scheduled for Nov. 6. Penitentiary “verifies exe-
ject an inmate. State officials said they cution inventory” two days
Attorney General Scott learned Wednesday that before an execution.
Pruitt said Oklahoma Oklahoma’s drug supplier “Certainly it raises a lot of
needed time to sort out had shipped it potassium the same questions raised
why its Department of acetate instead of potas- by the Lockett execution,
Corrections received a sium chloride, the third of which is whether this de-
shipment of potassium ac- three drugs administered partment is competent to
etate instead of potassium under the Department of carry out its own proce-
chloride for Richard Glos- Corrections’ guidelines. dures,” said Jen Moreno,
sip’s execution that was to State protocols adopted a staff attorney with the
occur Wednesday. after the botched execu- Death Penalty Clinic at the
Pruitt’s request to the state tion of Clayton Lockett last University of California’s
Court of Criminal Appeals year directed that the war- Berkeley Law School. q
came hours after Gov.
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt speaks in Oklahoma Mary Fallin said she was
City. Pruitt on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, asked a court to delay all confident the state could
scheduled executions while the state reviews how it received resolve its problems in time
the wrong drug as it prepared to lethally inject an inmate. for an execution set for
next week.
(AP Photo/Alonzo Adams) “The Office of the Attor-
ney General needs time
SEAN MURPHY ney general on Thursday to evaluate the events
Associated Press asked a court to delay that transpired on Sept.
McALESTER, Oklahoma all scheduled executions 30, 2015, ODOC’s acquisi-
(AP) — Oklahoma’s attor- while the state reviews how tion of a drug contrary to
protocol, and ODOC’s in-
ternal procedures relative
to the protocol,” Pruitt’s of-
fice said in its request to the
court.
Pruitt asked for an indefi-
nite stay.
The next scheduled execu-
tion is Benjamin Cole’s on
Oct. 7, followed by John
Marion Grant’s on Oct. 28.

Virginia:

Federal judge clears way for execution

ALANNA DURKIN layed as they seek more in- ber of people that Prieto
Associated Press formation about the drugs, has killed, raped, or other-
RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) which were obtained from wise injured.”
— A federal judge has Texas’ prison system, to en- A native of El Salvador, Pri-
cleared the way for Virginia sure they won’t bring about eto was on death row in
to execute a convicted se- a painful death. California for rapinga and
rial killer on Thursday night, Hudson said Prieto’s law- murdering a 15-year-old
saying an unwarranted de- yers had not adequately girl when DNA evidence
lay would be harmful for shown that the drugs are linked him to the rape and
those victimized. unsafe and said it was in murder of Rachael Raver
U.S. District Court Judge the public interest for the and the slaying of her boy-
Henry E. Hudson on Thurs- execution to proceed as friend, Warren Fulton III.
day lifted an order block- planned. Authorities have linked Pri-
ing Alfredo Prieto’s execu- The judge said an unwar- eto to several other killings
tion, which is scheduled for ranted delay of the execu- in California and Virginia
9 p.m. His lawyers vowed to tion would be harmful for but he was never prose-
appeal. those victimized by Prieto’s cuted because he had al-
Attorneys for Prieto, 49, crimes, a harm “magnified ready been sentenced to
wanted his execution de- here by the appalling num- death.q