Execution drug mix-up prompts Oklahoma bill on storage

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A mix-up in which the wrong lethal injection drugs were delivered to death row for Oklahoma’s last two scheduled executions has prompted passage of a bill to allow the drugs to be stored at the state prison.

The Senate voted 46-0 on Tuesday for the bill by Republican Sen. Corey Brooks. It now goes to the House.

Department of Corrections officials have said that because the agency couldn’t obtain proper drug licenses, lethal injection drugs were delivered on the day of scheduled executions.

In September, a death row inmate was moments away from his scheduled lethal injection when prison officials learned they had the wrong drug. It was later learned the same wrong drug was used when executing an inmate in January 2015.