Texas Must Reveal Source Of Execution Drugs: 3rd Court Of Appeals

AUSTIN, TX — Texas prison officials must identify the pharmacy supplying the state with drugs that are used to carry out executions, a state appeals court ruled on Thursday.

The origin of the execution drugs have been a long-held, jealously guarded secret of state officials who have declined to reveal the drugs' origins to advocates against the death penalty and news organizations seeking the information via the Freedom of Information Act and related state open records provisions. Identifying the source of their execution drugs would act as a deterrent among suppliers given what they say would be the ensuing publicity.

But in its ruling, the 3rd Court of Appeals based in Austin challenged the state's assertion by saying the exceptions in public information provisions state officials have cited to shield the information from release aren't applicable.

A spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice told the Austin American-Statesman they would appeal the decision to the Texas Supreme Court. The spokesman reiterated a claim that suppliers could face reprisals from people opposed to executions were they identified.

“As we have said repeatedly, disclosing the identity of the pharmacy will result in the harassment of the business and will raise serious safety concerns for the business and its employees,” the spokesman told the newspaper.

To read the full ruling of the 3rd Court of Appeals, click here.

>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman

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