Ohio postponed scheduled executions of death row inmates Monday until at least 2017, and more states may follow as the supply of the required drugs continues to run low across America.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections announced the delay Monday as it “has become exceedingly difficult to secure those drugs because of severe supply and distribution restrictions.” The state hasn’t been able to execute an inmate since January 2014 and 11 inmates scheduled for execution next year will now get their lives extended a bit longer.
The situation is similar in most states and only six executions have taken place this year outside Texas and Missouri.
The main issue is that pharmaceutical companies in Europe refuse to sell the drugs necessary to carry out lethal injection executions. Both Oklahoma and Arkansas halted three and eight scheduled executions, respectively, earlier this fall following issues with the drugs. Death Row inmates are filing complaints about how the drugs may cause cruel and inhumane punishment due to botched execution procedures.
Out of the 31 states with death penalty, 15 allow alternative methods to lethal injection, such as electrocution, hanging, gas chamber and firing squad.
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