Utah officials have decided to change their plans for the upcoming execution of a man convicted in a 1998 murder case. The initial plan to use an untested lethal drug combination has been scrapped, and instead, they will opt for a drug that has been used in executions in several states.
The decision came after defense attorneys for the defendant raised concerns about the potential for 'excruciating suffering' due to the original drug combination. The execution, scheduled for August 8, will mark Utah's first since 2010 when Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed by firing squad.
The condemned man, Taberon Dave Honie, was convicted of aggravated murder in the stabbing of his girlfriend's mother, Claudia Benn. Despite objections from the defense regarding the initial drug combination, Honie's execution warrant was signed last month.
In response to the concerns raised, the Utah Department of Corrections has opted to use a single drug, pentobarbital, for the execution. This decision follows the filing of court documents seeking the dismissal of the lawsuit against the original drug combination.
While state officials had initially believed the three-drug combination to be effective and humane, they acknowledged that it had not been used in any previous executions. In contrast, pentobarbital has been utilized in executions in at least 14 states.
Despite the switch to pentobarbital, there have been reports of extreme pain associated with its use in some executions, including federal cases during the final months of the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, a hearing is scheduled for Monday regarding Honie's request to commute his death sentence to life in prison. His attorneys have cited a troubled upbringing, substance abuse issues, a previous brain injury, and extreme intoxication as factors contributing to his actions at the time of the murder.
They also criticized the legal advice that led to Honie being sentenced by a judge rather than a potentially more sympathetic jury that could have spared him the death penalty.
