Governor confident Oklahoma can execute inmates

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Gov. Mary Fallin says she remains confident state prison officials can properly execute inmates, despite a scathing grand jury report critical of the last two scheduled executions.

In a statement on Thursday, Fallin said she is confident the Department of Corrections’ new interim Director Joe Allbaugh can move forward with executions that comply with all "applicable policies, protocols and legal requirements."

In her statement, Fallin says her office cooperated with the grand jury’s investigation "in all respects."

The grand jury report released Thursday was particularly critical of Fallin’s former general counsel, Steve Mullins, for encouraging the use of the wrong lethal injection drug in an execution that was later called off.

Mullins resigned in February amid the grand jury probe, citing stress as a factor.