A man in India is illegally selling execution drugs to U.S. states, and BuzzFeed tracked him down
A man who says he manufactures and distributes pharmaceuticals out of an office in the Kolkata satellite town of Salt Lake City, India, has been illegally supplying states like Nebraska with the drugs they need to carry out executions.
BuzzFeed News reporters Chris McDaniel and Tasneem Nashrulla say they've been trying to reach Chris Harris for more than four months, but he refuses to speak with them. When they visited the Salt Lake City office of "Harris Pharma — manufacturer and distribution," they were greeted by an employee who said no drugs are made there; Harris Pharma's other business location is an apartment that Harris hasn't lived in for more than two years. BuzzFeed confirmed that Harris, beginning in 2010, has sold execution drugs illegally to four states, earning tens of thousands of dollars. Since many drugmakers in the U.S. are not selling states the drugs they need to conduct executions, some states are getting desperate and reaching out to foreign suppliers — disregarding federal laws on importing drugs.
Harris has sold at least two states sodium thiopental, an anesthetic that is popular in developing countries but no longer being used in U.S. executions because the only FDA-approved manufacturer stopped making it due to its connection to the death penalty. In May, when Nebraska's state legislature was planning a vote on repealing the death penalty, Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) wanted to show that he could make executions run smoothly in the state, BuzzFeed reports. The state Department of Correctional Services ordered 1,000 vials of sodium thiopental, despite there only being 10 men on death row; it was the "minimum order," Harris said. He earned $54,400, and the state legislature repealed the death penalty anyway. The drugs have yet to arrive in Nebraska, BuzzFeed reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Although Harris has sold vials of sodium thiopental to Nebraska three times and South Dakota, they were never used in an execution. When attorneys for death row inmates in South Dakota found out the drugs were imported, they sued, and the drugs expired before being used. In 2011, the CEO of Swiss manufacturer Naari sent a letter to Nebraska saying the vials the state had received from Harris came from its plant, but "Mr. Harris misappropriated our medicines and diverted them from their intended purpose and use." Naari and inmates on death row sued, and the drugs expired before being used. The FDA said it is investigating Harris, saying that "sodium thiopental is unlawful to import and FDA would refuse its admission into the United States." On Monday, Harris again refused to speak with BuzzFeed, saying: "I think you people don't understand English.... STOP SENDING ME EMAILS." Read the entire fascinating story at BuzzFeed.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger celebrates 'unique collaboration'
The Week Recommends Martin Scorsese presents documentary tribute to the 'gorgeous, radical work' of the film-making duo
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
In what countries is assisted dying legal or in consideration for being made legal?
In the spotlight More countries are granting more people the right to die
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
5 captivating books to read in May
the week recommends Brittney Griner tells her own story, a coming-of-middle-age novel and more
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Trump criminal trial starts with rulings, reminder
Speed Read The first day of his historic trial over hush money payments was mostly focused on jury selection
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Parents of school shooter sentenced to 10-15 years
Speed Read Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first parents to be convicted in a US mass shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Unlicensed dealers and black market guns
Speed Read 68,000 illegally trafficked guns were sold in a five year period, said ATF
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bankman-Fried gets 25 years for fraud
Speed Read Former "crypto king" Sam Bankman-Fried will report to federal prison
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking case
Speed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Goon Squad' cops sentenced for torturing 2 Black men
Speed Read The former Mississippi law enforcement officers pleaded guilty last year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Michigan shooter's dad guilty of manslaughter
speed read James Crumbley failed to prevent his son from killing four students at Oxford High School in 2021
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Shooting at Chiefs victory rally kills 1, injures 21
Speed Read Gunfire broke out at the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory parade in Missouri
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published