Early this week, the United States Supreme Court will listen to arguments regarding Oklahoma’s lethal injection issue, which in the past few years involved the use of a midazolam, a sedative.
The issue that Justices faced early this week was whether midazolam, as a lethal injection component, is in violation of the 8th Amendment of the U.S. constitution, which prohibit carrying out “cruel and unusual” punishments.
Before, executioners would utilize two drugs ---- pentobarbital and thiopental --- both belonging under a drug class known as barbiturates. But since 2008, makers of both drugs were so worried of its association with capital punishment that they significantly slashed the supply for both drugs. This pushed some states to go for midazolam.
As an added measure, multiple states have made laws that allow the usage of other execution operations in case the drugs aren’t present.
How the court will rule in the issue may open the door for them sooner than later.
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