Propofol, the drug Michael Jackson overdosed on, will be used in Missouri prisons for executions. The administrative change was allegedly "due to the unavailability of sodium thiopental,” one of the three injections usually used to kill inmates. Not requiring legislative approval, the change may be short-lived as the maker of the drug, AstraZeneca, is opposed to it being used in this manner.
One of the largest concerns with the new process is that it hasn’t been tested in a lethal capacity and could potentially cause serious pain and suffering for the condemned. "Any drug used for a new purpose on human subjects should certainly be tested very, very carefully," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center. "I can only imagine the things that might go wrong."
