Lethal Injection

Lethal injection is a method of execution whereby a person is intravenously given a lethal quantity of one or more drugs to cause death. It is the most common method of execution in the United States, though many states have had difficulty maintaining a supply of the necessary drugs to carry out executions. Opponents of lethal injection include pharmaceutical companies, medical professional organizations, and advocacy organizations. These organizations have opposed lethal injection by preventing the sale of their drugs for the purpose of lethal injection, forbidding their members to participate in lethal injection procedures, and supporting legal challenges to lethal injection itself. Despite widespread dispute, lethal injection remains the primary method of execution in every state where capital punishment remains legal.

[Page 824]Texas became the first ...