Ricketts stops trying to import death penalty drugs for now

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Joe Duggan

LINCOLN — On the day Nebraska’s U.S. Attorney asserted that importing a key death penalty drug would violate federal law, Gov. Pete Ricketts announced he will reverse course on his efforts to carry out a lethal injection.

“To give deference to the vote of the people, my administration will wait to carry out capital punishment sentences or make additional efforts to acquire drugs until the people of our state decide this issue,” the governor said in a statement released by his office late in the day.

The governor’s announcement came hours after U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg told The World-Herald that importing sodium thiopental would violate federal law.

“It would be illegal to import sodium thiopental into the state of Nebraska for purposes of lethal injection,” Gilg said in an interview, marking the first time she has made such a statement publicly.

FULL story and related stories at link.

Related Stories
Ernie Chambers asks Nebraska Supreme Court to sanction attorney general over lethal injection drugs
Nebraska prison officials tried unsuccessfully to buy lethal injection drug from U.S. distributor
Death penalty foes urge Ricketts to stop 'misleading' Nebraskans about chances of getting lethal injection drug
Ricketts says Nebraska continues to work with DEA to import lethal injection drugs
Enough signatures verified to suspend Nebraska's death penalty repeal

Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/ricketts-stops-trying-to-import-death-penalty-drugs-for-now/article_85e2a404-9ae5-11e5-8d92-7774506a50cb.html