Supreme Court orders Oklahoma to halt executions over lethal injection drug

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the executions of three Oklahoma men due to concerns about the controversial drug cocktail the state uses for lethal injections.

The move was widely expected after the Justices agreed last week to hear the inmates' legal challenge that the drug, midazolam, causes intense suffering and thus violates the constitutional protection against cruel and unusual punishment. Lawyers for the petitioners pointed to Oklahoma's botched execution last year of Clayton Lockett as proof the drug should not be administered.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.