News media sue over California's new execution rules

Source: Associated Press


Don Thompson, Associated Press
Updated 4:07 pm, Wednesday, April 11, 2018

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Times and other news media organizations sued over California's new execution rules Wednesday, saying they would bar journalists from fully reporting on the lethal injection procedure. The lawsuit is the latest challenge as the state seeks to resume executions for the first time since 2006.

The execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison leaves critical steps out of public view, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco against the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the corrections secretary and San Quentin's warden.

The lethal drug used in an execution would be prepared and administered from a separate neighboring "infusion control room" that would be out of view because of the way the complex was constructed in 2008.

Corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton said she hadn't seen the suit and couldn't immediately comment.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/News-media-sue-over-California-s-new-execution-12826094.php