With the stays of execution in Virginia on October 17 and in Georgia on October 18, it appears likely that no more lethal injections will take place in this country until the U.S. Supreme Court renders a decision in Baze v. Rees, a case challenging the lethal injection process in Kentucky. Christopher Emmett in Virginia was granted a stay by the U.S. Supreme Court just hours before his execution. Jack Alderman’s lethal injection was stayed by the Georgia Supreme Court a day before it was to occur. Stays have also been granted in numerous other states by other federal courts, by state courts, and by governors. The Death Penalty Information Center’s Web site contains a number of resources related to lethal injection:

  • Lethal Injection Web Page: This Web page contains a general overview of the constitutional questions the U.S. Supreme Court will consider when it hears Baze v. Rees next year, as well as details about the status of lethal injection challenges and stays of executions across the country. In addition, the page contains information about the drugs used to carry out lethal injections and a list of the 37 states that use this method. Lastly, the page includes links to statements from medical organizations and additional resources related to this topic.
  • Stays of Executions: This chart details stays of execution related to lethal injection challenges since 2006.
  • States Where Executions are on Hold: DPIC’s “Death Penalty in Flux” Web page contains a chart that details all states where executions are on hold, including states with formal moratoriums and states where executions have been halted due to concerns about the method of execution.
  • Methods of Execution: This page contains the methods used in each of the 38 death penalty states, including states that offer inmates a choice of method, and the number of executions by each method.
  • Botched Executions: Contains examples of executions where serious problems have arisen in carrying out executions.
  • Upcoming Executions: This page allows users to track scheduled executions and follow developments such as stays and commutations.
  • Supreme Court: Contains a more complete description of the issues facing the Court in the lethal injection case from Kentucky, Baze v. Rees.

(For stay in Virginia, see Wash. Post, Oct. 18, 2007; other information from DPIC sources).