Governor Kay Ivey says an internal review of the state's execution procedures is complete and the state will begin scheduling lethal injections. She initiated the review in November after three lethal injections were aborted because of problems with intravenous lines. Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Hamm told Ivey that he is confident the state is ready to resume carrying out death sentences. He said the prison system is adding to the pool of medical professionals for execution preparations, ordered new equipment and has conducted rehearsals. At Ivey's request, the Alabama Supreme Court last month changed rules to give the state longer to carry out executions by doing away with a midnight deadline.
The governor in November directed the state prison system to undertake a "top-to-bottom" review of death penalty procedures after the state was forced to cancel three lethal injections because of problems with intravenous lines. Alabama Corrections Commissioner Hamm told Ivey in a letter shared with news outlets that his staff is ready to resume executions after making internal changes related to staffing and equipment.
However, critics argued that the review should have been conducted by an outside group instead of the state agency "responsible for botching multiple executions." Ivey rebuffed requests from a group of faith leaders and advocates to follow the example of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and authorize an independent review of the state's execution procedures. Dozens of attorneys sent a letter to Ivey this week seeking an independent review instead of the internal one she authorized.
The governor's office did not release a detailed report on the review's finding, but shared the letter from the head of the prison system. Hamm said the prison system is adding to its pool of medical professionals, ordered new equipment and has conducted rehearsals. He also noted changes that will give the execution team more time to complete its duties. The Alabama Supreme Court, at Ivey's request, last month issued a ruling that gives the state more time to carry out a death sentence by allowing the warrants that authorize executions to last for longer than 24 hours.
Marshall just filed a motion with the Alabama Supreme Court seeking an execution date for James Barber, who was sentenced to death for the 2001 beating death of 75-year-old Dorothy Epps. Marshall said his office would be seeking death warrants for other murderers.
