Grand Jury Investigating Oklahoma Executions Delivers Report

<p>A special grand jury investigating three botched execution attempts in Oklahoma has delivered a 106-page report to a judge.</p>

Thursday, May 19th 2016, 5:21 pm

By: News 9


A special grand jury investigating three botched execution attempts in Oklahoma has delivered a 106-page report to a judge.

Oklahoma County District Judge Donald Deason thanked the grand jury Thursday for its work and said Oklahomans "need to know somebody has been looking at the monkey business that's been going on at the Department of Corrections."

Attorney General Scott Pruitt assembled the panel after the wrong drug was delivered for an execution last fall. Richard Glossip's execution was called off, but it turned out that Charles Warner had been executed with the same wrong chemical.

The mix-ups follow an April 2014 execution in which inmate Clayton Lockett struggled on a gurney before dying 43 minutes into his lethal injection -- and after the state's prison's chief ordered executioners to stop.

for Glossip’s execution that was later called off.

The grand jury did not issue any indictments Thursday in its investigation, but said that Steve Mullins "felt comfortable proceeding" with the execution of Richard Glossip even though the state had received potassium acetate, rather than potassium chloride.

 Glossip's execution was scheduled for Sept. 30 but it was halted by Fallin.

Mullins resigned in February as Fallin's general counsel. At the time, he said his doctor had told him to "better control the stress in my life," and that he wanted to help the governor save on personnel costs in her office.

A grand jury also recommended the state study the use of nitrogen gas to administer the death penalty. The report issued Thursday said nitrogen would be "easy and inexpensive to obtain" and also "simple to administer."

Oklahoma now uses a three-drug protocol, beginning with the surgical sedative midazolam, in its executions.

Pruitt said in a statement that the recommendation is important and that he looks forward to working with Fallin and the Oklahoma Legislature to consider its feasibility.

The Legislature is set to adjourn its regular session next week.

Interim Director for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) Joe Allbaugh issued the following statement on the report:

"We will take a close and thorough look at the grand jury's final report and will reserve comments until a full vetting process has been undertaken by the department. 

After reviewing the grand jury's recommendations, we will determine if additional changes need to be made. Until then, it is my hope individuals with inquiries will respect this process and remain patient."

Attorney General Scott Pruitt assembled the panel after the wrong drug was delivered for an execution last fall. Richard Glossip's execution was called off, but it turned out that Charles Warner had been executed with the same wrong chemical.

Governor's counsel advocated DOC to proceed with the Glossip execution using the wrong drug.

— Grant Hermes News 9 (@GrantHermesKWTV) May 19, 2016

The mix-ups follow an April 2014 execution in which inmate Clayton Lockett struggled on a gurney before dying 43 minutes into his lethal injection -- and after the state's prison's chief ordered executioners to stop.

for Glossip’s execution that was later called off.

The grand jury did not issue any indictments Thursday in its investigation, but said that Steve Mullins "felt comfortable proceeding" with the execution of Richard Glossip even though the state had received potassium acetate, rather than potassium chloride.

 Glossip's execution was scheduled for Sept. 30 but it was halted by Fallin.

Mullins resigned in February as Fallin's general counsel. At the time, he said his doctor had told him to "better control the stress in my life," and that he wanted to help the governor save on personnel costs in her office.

Serious findings now. Fmr. Director of DOC orally modified protocol w/o authority. Pharmacist ordered the wrong drug. @NEWS9

— Grant Hermes News 9 (@GrantHermesKWTV) May 19, 2016

A grand jury also recommended the state study the use of nitrogen gas to administer the death penalty. The report issued Thursday said nitrogen would be "easy and inexpensive to obtain" and also "simple to administer."

Oklahoma now uses a three-drug protocol, beginning with the surgical sedative midazolam, in its executions.

Pruitt said in a statement that the recommendation is important and that he looks forward to working with Fallin and the Oklahoma Legislature to consider its feasibility.

The Legislature is set to adjourn its regular session next week.

Interim Director for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) Joe Allbaugh issued the following statement on the report:

"We will take a close and thorough look at the grand jury's final report and will reserve comments until a full vetting process has been undertaken by the department. 

After reviewing the grand jury's recommendations, we will determine if additional changes need to be made. Until then, it is my hope individuals with inquiries will respect this process and remain patient."

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A special grand jury investigating three botched execution attempts in Oklahoma has delivered a 106-page report to a judge.

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