Regardless of any individual person's belief about the death penalty, voters in Nebraska have collectively allowed it to remain in effect. Along with this one might believe would come the ability for the public to learn about some of the details involved in any execution that might take place. That, however, is not what is happening currently and many are upset about this. One entity has even filed a complaint against the state about this matter.
As the state of Nebraska has initiated preparations for its first execution in two decades, some media entities and the ACLU of Nebraska have asked the state to provide information about the source of the drugs that will be used to perform the execution. The state has so far refused to provide these details that in the past they had supplied. Media of Nebraska is alleging that the state's refusal to identify its execution drug supplier is a violation of state law, namely the Public Records Act.
Media of Nebraska has actually filed a complaint and the matter will now go to court to be settled and ruled on. Some of the concerns in this issue may relate to the unsuccessful attemped importation of legal drugs two years ago.
Defendants who face serious criminal charges that may put them on death row should know they still have rights. Talking with an attorney may provide insight into those rights and their options.
Source: Omaha World-Herald, "Group heads to court to fight state prison officials' decision to withhold records identifying execution drug supplier," Joe Duggan, Dec. 15, 2017