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U.S. NEWS Thursday 12 July 2018

Execution blocked after company objects to use of its drug

By KEN RITTER and MICHELLE the state illegally secured alty Information Center in
L. PRICE the product through sub- Washington.
Associated Press terfuge and intended it The previous challenge,
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A for unapproved purposes. brought last year by a dif-
Nevada judge effectively The pharmaceutical com- ferent company in Arkan-
blocked the execution of a pany also raised fears that sas, was ultimately unsuc-
two-time killer Wednesday the drug could lead to a cessful. Alvogen said in
after a pharmaceutical botched execution, citing a statement that it was
company objected to the cases that apparently went pleased with the ruling
use of one of its drugs to awry elsewhere around the and will continue to work
put someone to death. country. Todd Bice, an at- through the legal system to
Clark County District Judge torney with Alvogen, ac- ensure its products are not
Elizabeth Gonzalez disal- cused the state of decep- used in executions.
lowed the drug in a ruling tively obtaining the drug by A second pharmaceuti-
that came less than nine having it shipped to a phar- cal company, Sandoz,
hours before Scott Ray- macy in Las Vegas rather also raised objections at
mond Dozier, 47, was to be than the state prison in Ely. Wednesday’s hearing to Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez announces her decision at the
executed by injection with He said Alvogen had sent the use of one of its drugs Regional Justice Center during a hearing on Wednesday, July
a three-chemical combi- a letter to state officials in — the muscle-paralyzing 11, 2018, in Las Vegas.
nation never before tried in April telling them it opposes substance cisatracurium — Associated Press
the U.S. the use of midazolam in ex- in executing Dozier. But the put up a “smokescreen” satracurium, one to slow his
State prison officials later ecutions. company did not immedi- or do anything wrong in breathing, the other to stop
called off the 8 p.m. execu- The judge ruled that based ately ask to formally join Al- getting the drugs. He said it. Bice said Alvogen does
tion, and a judge issued an on that letter, Alvogen had vogen’s lawsuit. drugs ordered by the state not take a position on the
order indefinitely postpon- a reasonable chance of The third drug in Nevada’s prison system are regularly death penalty itself but op-
ing it. winning its case, and she combination is fentanyl, shipped to Las Vegas. poses the use of the drug in
Despite the maneuvering issued the temporary re- the powerful opioid that is “This whole action is just PR a way that is fundamentally
around him, Dozier had re- straining order. She set an- blamed for deadly over- damage control,” Smith contrary to its purpose —
peatedly expressed his de- other hearing for Sept. 10. doses across the country said of Alvogen. saving and improving lives.
sire to be put to death and Pharmaceutical compa- but has not been used be- Alvogen’s midazolam was In court papers, Alvogen
had stopped fighting for his nies have resisted the use fore in an execution. The substituted in May for Ne- also cited instances in Ala-
life. His attorney did not im- of their drugs in executions fentanyl for Dozier’s execu- vada’s expired stock of bama, Arizona and Okla-
mediately respond to mes- for 10 years, citing legal tion was made by Akorn diazepam, commonly homa in the past few years
sages for comment. and ethical concerns. But Inc., prisons spokeswoman known as Valium. The drug in which inmates given
At a hearing earlier in the the legal challenge filed by Brooke Santina said. is intended to render the midazolam were left gasp-
day, New Jersey-based Al- Alvogen is only the second Jordan T. Smith, an assistant inmate unconscious. Under ing or snorting, appeared
vogen urged the judge to of its kind in the U.S., said Nevada solicitor general, Nevada’s new execution to regain consciousness or
block the use of its seda- Robert Dunham, executive countered at Wednesday’s protocol, the inmate is next took an unusually long time
tive midazolam, saying director of the Death Pen- hearing that the state didn’t given fentanyl and then ci- to die.q

Loaded gun found atop baby changing table at Utah aquarium

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah often leave guns in bath- in. So I went to open it, and was a “tragedy waiting weapon. “If anybody finds
police want to find the rooms and other places. if it would’ve fallen, it was to happen” and charges a firearm anywhere, (don’t)
owner of a loaded gun Parents who came to the loaded, who knows?” she should be pressed because touch it, call police, keep
found on a baby chang- Living Planet Aquarium with told the Deseret News. the owner was negligent. other people away from
ing table in a women’s re- young children were angry Fujimoto said the gun left Police said she did the right it, and wait for police to
stroom at a suburban Salt that no one would be held atop the folded-up table thing when she found the come,” Carpenter said.q
Lake City aquarium, but accountable.
said they don’t plan to file Alyssa Fujimoto said she
charges. Rather, they want found the weapon and
to return the .380-caliber called police when she
pistol found Tuesday. tried to change her new-
“I believe it was somebody born baby with her 4-year-
that just forgot their gun. old son in tow.
But, you know, it’s not an “My child who came in
uncommon occurrence,” with me, he usually opens
Draper Police Lt. Chad the changing table for me,
Carpenter told the Deseret and this time, he was using
News . He said that people the restroom while I went