R Street Institute

R Sheets Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

The Death Penalty in Arizona

by Arthur Rizer AND Camille Infantolino
Sept 24, 2020
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Key Points

Any policy, but especially one that concerns the human life, should be carried out legally, not jeopardize public health, and conform with principles of limited, transparent government.
As the law currently stands, it is not possible to lawfully acquire the drugs for execution by lethal injection in Arizona.
Drugs of poor quality lead to botched and painful executions which not only pose a public health concern but also do not accomplish the purpose of execution by lethal injection.
When the government breaks its own laws and violates ideals it seeks to uphold, it by definition is no longer a limited, transparent government.

Arizona has not executed any person on death row since Joseph Wood’s contentious execution in 2014. Despite this hiatus, Attorney General Brnovich has proposed that the state resume the practice. Specifically, preparations are being made to resume executions by lethal injection with an assurance that the necessary drugs have been secured. However, with the current state of the law, it is practically impossible to acquire legally the compounded drugs needed for humane executions by lethal injection.

Image credit: Nixx Photography

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