Oklahoma law allowing execution drug secrecy ruled unconstitutional

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Katie Fretland in Oklahoma City
theguardian.com, Wednesday 26 March 2014 16.39 GM

A judge has ruled the Oklahoma state law making the source of execution drugs a secret is unconstitutional.

Oklahoma county judge Patricia Parrish said the law violates death row inmates' right to access to the courts in order to argue against their own executions. The statute denies even the judge information about execution drugs, she said.

"I do not think this is even a close call," Parrish said.

Assistant attorney general John Hadden said the state will appeal Wednesday's decision to the Oklahoma supreme court. Attorneys for the death row inmates Charles Warner and Clayton Lockett said they will request a further stay from the Oklahoma court of criminal appeals.

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/26/oklahoma-execution-drug-secrecy-unconstitutional

[hlthe2b]

1. Several states are trying to pull the same ploy...

ALL RETHUG-lead red states, of course, but this is blatantly unconstitutional I truly believe.

[avebury]

2. So typical for Oklahoma.

The legislature have never found an unconsitutional law that they did not want to pass and enact.