By way of Marc Kovac, the statement from Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Director Terry Collins:
The previous method of execution included a three-drug protocol applied intravenously. The first change to the execution procedure includes the adoption of a one-drug protocol, using thiopental sodium alone, applied intravenously. Pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride will no longer be used as a part of the process. In the event that an IV site cannot be established or maintained, then I have authorized the use of an intramuscular injection of midazolam and hydromorphone as a back-up means of carrying out the execution.
Apparently, Ohio is the first state to move to a one-drug procedure, which prompted an interesting comment from one observer:
“This is a significant step forward,” said Ty Alper, Associate Director, Death Penalty Clinic, U.C. Berkeley School of Law. “Paralyzing inmates before executing them – so we can’t tell whether they are suffering – is a barbaric practice, and Ohio should be commended for stopping it.”
Ohio Public Defender Tim Young, however, maintains that problems still exist:
“I would like to congratulate the State of Ohio, as it has finally recognized that by going to a single, massive dose of an anesthetic, it will greatly reduce the risk of torturing people to death. I continue to have concerns, however, that there are no limits on how long or how many times the execution team can try to gain IV access.”
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Chris Geidner is the senior political writer at D.C.'s Metro Weekly and has written for The Atlantic Online, Advocate.com, Salon and other publications, as well as at his blog, Law Dork. Prior to moving to D.C. in 2009, he served as an attorney on the senior staff at the Ohio Attorney General's Office and had earlier worked for a leading Columbus law firm. An extended biography can be found
Local NPR made two interesting claims: (1) the one-drug protocol is being imported from veterinary euthanasia practice, and (2) the protocol–particularly the intramuscular injection part–has never been tested as such on humans.
PROCEDURE FOR FINDING VEIN NOT A PROBLEM
As a surgeon, I have been trained to do a procedure that is called: “Venous cutdown.” In situations (e.g. injectable drug addicts with destroyed veins), it is easy to get access to a vein simply by doing the venous cutdown. It involves giving a local anesthetic just under the epidermis, which is even less painful than a dental injection.
As a surgery resident, I had to practice this on a partner. I am sure I could easily train a technician to do a venous cutdown, and if the technician wished, I would even provide myself as a “subject.”
It’s really no big deal.
sanjosemike