Oklahoma Halts Executions Until 2016 Pending Investigation

The state of Oklahoma announced this week that it will be halting executions until 2016 while it investigates the usage of a controversial new lethal drug combination.

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt's office announced Friday that the state will not seek to carry out any executions until next year while it investigates the usage of potassium acetate instead of potassium chloride, a lethal drug that critics argue in the past has caused botched executions in which the inmate writhes in pain and suffers a stroke or heart attack.

Earlier this year, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin announced she would be staying the execution of inmate Richard Glossip after learning that the prison had been sent potassium acetate instead of potassium chloride for his execution.

At the time, Gov. Fallin said in a statement that "Last-minute questions were raised today about Oklahoma's execution protocol and the chemicals used for lethal injection."

"After consulting with the attorney general and the Department of Corrections, I have issued a 37-day stay of execution while the state addresses those questions and ensures it is complying fully with the protocols approved by federal courts," Fallin added.

Pruitt followed up on Fallin's comments on Friday, saying that the investigation will be fully completed before more executions are carried out.

"As I have previously stated, my office is conducting a full and thorough investigation into all aspects of the Department of Corrections' handling of executions. [...] My office does not plan to ask the court to set an execution date until the conclusion of its investigation. This makes it unnecessary at this time to litigate the legal questions at issue in Glossip v. Gross," Pruitt said.