The “Death” of Lethal Injection as We Know It? The Role of Chemical Execution in the American Criminal Justice System

ABSTRACT

Several independent elements have recently combined to thrust United States capital punishment into a chaos. Corrections officials and policy makers have attempted to “humanize” capital punishment by evolving into a chemical execution process, and soften the outward appearance. Foreign policies have interrupted chemical protocols by banning key ingredients. These disruptions are spawning new theories of legal challenges in capital punishment. This is a critical time for stakeholders and all members of a civilized society to pause and reflect on the role of capital punishment.

KEYWORDS :

• capital punishment
• cruel and unusual
• drug shortage
• Eighth Amendment
• lethal injection
• thiopental