Ohio Judge Rejects 3-Drug Lethal Injections

An Ohio judge has ordered authorities to stop using a lethal three-drug cocktail for executions because it may cause excruciating pain. Instead,  the judge ruled in favor of a single lethal dose of a barbiturate used in animal euthanasia, the New York Times reports. State officials are reviewing the decision—which bucks the trend of recent cases in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling that upheld similar executions.

Texas' high court, meanwhile, rejected challenges to the state's three-drug lethal injections, clearing the way for the execution of a convicted rapist and murderer tomorrow. “Texas is still Texas,” said leading death penalty opponent Richard Dieter. “They're the ones with the most dates coming up, and by year’s end, I’m quite confident they will lead the country in executions.” (More death penalty stories.)