Execution Procedures in Texas and Idaho
In Huntsville, Texas, a gurney was pictured in 2008, the site where lethal injections were administered to inmates. Texas witnessed the execution of eight individuals in 2023. State policies refer to a “drug team,” distinct from Texas Department of Criminal Justice staff.
Pat Sullivan/AP
A photo from 2008 displays a gurney in Huntsville, Texas, the location for administering lethal injections to inmates. Texas recorded eight executions in 2023. State regulations mention a specialized “drug team” not affiliated with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Pat Sullivan/AP
In an Idaho prison, medical staff made eight unsuccessful attempts to establish an intravenous line for administering a lethal injection to inmate Thomas Creech. This series of failed attempts granted Creech an unexpected reprieve. The incident sparked inquiries into the composition of the medical team responsible for executions under the Idaho Department of Correction.
“They are all volunteers,” stated Jonah Horwitz, Creech’s attorney, in correspondence with NPR, referencing Idaho’s execution protocol. This revelation may be surprising, but similar volunteer setups exist in other states. Maintaining the anonymity of individuals on execution medical teams is standard practice in Idaho and various other regions.
Below are insights into the operational aspects of lethal injections in Idaho and states that have recently conducted executions, focusing on the keyphrase “State volunteers NPR.”
Understanding Idaho’s Execution Regulations
Idaho’s official guidelines mandate that individuals interested in serving on the execution medical team must have a minimum of three years of experience in roles such as an emergency medical technician, nurse, military corpsman, or physician’s assistant.
By the end of 2022, the Idaho Department of Correction reported that their medical team consisted of six members, comprising four EMTs and two registered nurses. The identities of these team members were not disclosed.
The state’s regulations emphasize the utmost confidentiality regarding the identities of the medical team members, with only a select few officials privy to this information.
Members of the medical team are obligated to participate in a minimum of 10 training sessions annually, although this requirement is subject to potential revisions by officials. Additionally, team members are compensated with a modest honorarium, as confirmed by a department spokesperson.
Idaho made headlines last year by becoming the fifth state to introduce the option of a firing squad for executing prisoners, a measure adopted by states grappling with challenges in procuring lethal injection drugs.
In an update to his staff, Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt mentioned the state’s plan to “retrofit F Block, our current execution chamber, and accommodate a firing squad,” as state volunteers NPR reported. Tewalt acknowledged that initial attempts faced challenges as contractors, who would typically perform state volunteers NPR-related projects, showed reluctance. Despite this setback, ongoing efforts are being made to overcome these obstacles.
Can State Volunteers Perform Executions?
The American Medical Association states in its Code of Medical Ethics that “A physician must not participate in a legally authorized execution.”
NPR was informed by AMA media relations manager R.J. Mills that when physicians engage in capital punishment, they are essentially being used to deliberately cause harm through their medical expertise, ultimately leading to death. Mills emphasized that physicians involved in capital punishment act as agents of the state, rather than advocates for the condemned, even if their intention is to reduce suffering.
In many cases, states’ execution procedures often involve a physician, and medical professionals have been present at executions. For example, in Idaho, the protocol mandates the presence of a licensed physician, specifying that the doctor should not belong to any execution specialty teams and should refrain from any involvement in the execution process. State volunteers NPR are typically called upon to perform these duties.
