Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

DeWine Rejects Idea Of Using Fentanyl In Executions

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is dismissing a legislator's proposal to use fentanyl to execute death row inmates as the state struggles to find a lethal injection protocol that will be approved by the courts. 

DeWine says fentanyl, which has led to thousands of fatal overdoses in Ohio, isn't an option and likely would not pass "constitutional muster." Republican State Representative Scott Wiggam is seeking co-sponsors for a bill to use fentanyl seized by law enforcement agencies for executions. The State of Nebraska used fentanyl obtained from a pharmacy to execute a prisoner last year. DeWine canceled the execution of convicted killer Warren Henness in January after a federal judge expressed concerns about Ohio's lethal injection protocol.

Related Content