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Drug shortage prompts U.S. executions ‘Russian roulette’

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OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) – Two convicted killers are scheduled for the death chamber and only one dose of the drug needed to execute them is available.

That is the dilemma faced by Oklahoma officials who this month found themselves planning for double executions but able to secure only enough drugs for one.

A nationwide shortage of the sodium thiopental sedative commonly used in executions in the United States has caused similar complications for prison officials in other states, and prompted a scramble to buy up the needed drugs or explore alternative cocktails.

Full Story: Drug shortage prompts U.S. executions “Russian roulette” – latimes.com

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