COLUMBUS (AP) -- Ohio's prison agency says it wants doctors or other medical professionals to assist with executions, saying it will help promote humane procedures.
Prisons attorney Greg Trout also says state law should be changed to protect any doctor who helps with an execution from sanctions by the state medical board. Trout said that assistance from a doctor or nurse is unlikely without such protection.
Trout also told a state Supreme Court committee reviewing Ohio's death penalty law that protection should be offered pharmacies that mix supplies of execution drugs.
Trout said in remarks Thursday that without such protection Ohio might not be able to obtain drugs to carry out future executions.
The state's current supply of its execution drug runs out in September.
February 14 coverage:
Committee Again Reviewing Death Penalty
COLUMBUS (AP) -- A state Supreme Court task force analyzing the effectiveness of Ohio's capital punishment law plans another meeting Thursday as part of its yearlong review.
Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor has convened the task force while making clear it won't debate whether the state should have the death penalty.
The committee of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and death penalty experts is looking at a variety of issues, from how the law affects minorities to the role of clemency.
The committee also is studying whether death sentences are proportional, meaning that any one death sentence is similar to others that have also been handed down.
O'Connor says the committee's goal is to produce a fair, impartial and balanced analysis of the state's 30-year-old law.
Prisons attorney Greg Trout also says state law should be changed to protect any doctor who helps with an execution from sanctions by the state medical board. Trout said that assistance from a doctor or nurse is unlikely without such protection.
Trout also told a state Supreme Court committee reviewing Ohio's death penalty law that protection should be offered pharmacies that mix supplies of execution drugs.
Trout said in remarks Thursday that without such protection Ohio might not be able to obtain drugs to carry out future executions.
The state's current supply of its execution drug runs out in September.
February 14 coverage:
Committee Again Reviewing Death Penalty
COLUMBUS (AP) -- A state Supreme Court task force analyzing the effectiveness of Ohio's capital punishment law plans another meeting Thursday as part of its yearlong review.
Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor has convened the task force while making clear it won't debate whether the state should have the death penalty.
The committee of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and death penalty experts is looking at a variety of issues, from how the law affects minorities to the role of clemency.
The committee also is studying whether death sentences are proportional, meaning that any one death sentence is similar to others that have also been handed down.
O'Connor says the committee's goal is to produce a fair, impartial and balanced analysis of the state's 30-year-old law.
