No drug-shortage delay expected in Texas executions

Texas officials said Monday that they have no plans to delay any executions because of a nationwide shortage of 1 of the lethal drugs used.

"We have 3 executions scheduled through the end of this year, and we have an ample supply to carry those out," said Michelle Lyons, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville. "At the present, we are unaffected by the shortage."

For security reasons, Texas prison officials refused to say Monday how much sodium thiopental they have on hand.

Lyons said that if the supply does not resume, Texas might have to consider alternatives.

In Texas, 3 grams of sodium pentothal is administered in an intravenous solution to render the convict unconscious, followed by 100 milligrams of pancuronium bromide to paralyze muscles and 140 milliequivalents of potassium chloride to stop the heart. The drugs are generally administered over a 5-minute period.

Source: Austin American-Statesman, September 28, 2010