The state of South Dakota may use only one drug to carry out lethal injections in the state.
A recent court filing by Donald Moeller's attorney in the convicted killer's federal death penalty appeal reveals that state officials may finalize a new 1-drug lethal injection protocol by this weekend.
The move comes a few weeks after the federal Drug Enforcement Agency told South Dakota and several other states that their supplies of lethal injection drugs imported from India could not be used for executions. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley sent the DEA a letter pointing out that South Dakota's drugs were properly cleared and tested to meet U.S. standards.
Changes to South Dakota's lethal injection procedures were made in 2007 after Governor Mike Rounds delayed the execution of Elijah Page over fears that the use a 3-drug lethal cocktail would violate state law. The legislature changed the law so Department of Corrections officials could create set their own lethal injection standards, and Page was executed a year later.
Source: KELOLAND TV, October 11, 2011
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