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Petra.
Why are Texas authorities in such a hurry to execute ?
Tue Apr 5, 2011 12:36
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State secrets
Why are Texas authorities in such a hurry to execute this prisoner?
Copyright 2011, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
April 4, 2011, 8:52PM

Texas inmate Cleve Foster is due to be executed this evening, but we hope that Gov. Rick Perry will grant him the 30-day reprieve his attorneys have requested — not a pardon, not a commutation, just 30 days to answer a lot of troubling questions.
This is not about Foster's guilt or innocence. It's about the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and its unconscionable delays, secrecy and potential illegalities in implementing the first substantive change to its execution protocol since 1982.

This came about because sodium thiopental, one of the three drugs used in executions, is no longer produced in the U.S., and Texas has opted to substitute pentobarbital, a sedative most commonly used to euthanize animals. Foster's attorneys had been pleading for information on how TDCJ planned to proceed since last November. But it was not until March 16 that TDCJ announced its plans.

Yesterday, Foster's lawyers asked Perry for a 30-day reprieve, citing "serious concerns" at the timing of the decision, which was made "behind closed doors, without public input and with cursory and one-sided consideration of the benefits and risks."
They have ample cause to believe so. As reported by the Texas Tribune, public documents showed that TDCJ officials did not consult medical or pharmaceutical professionals, but relied on news and online accounts of another state's recent use of pentobarbital in making their decision to switch.

Other newly released documents showed that TDCJ's registration number under which execution drugs are purchased — a critical element of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration's ability to monitor the purchase and use of controlled substances — is registered to the Huntsville Unit Hospital, which has been closed since 1983.

In a recent letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, co-counsels Maurie Levin and Sandra Babcock argued that these substances are not being received by a hospital, or kept by any medical facilities, but by unauthorized prison personnel. "The potential for abuse is rampant," they wrote.

As the letter states, the requested reprieve "is in the interest of all who believe in the importance of open government."
We couldn't agree more, and we strongly urge Gov. Perry to grant it.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/7506683.html

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  • TX: Cleve "Sarge" Foster scheduled for January 11 — Petra., Tue Oct 5 16:21
    Tarrant County, Fort Worth set an execution date for Cleve "Sarge" Foster. It is scheduled for January 11, 2011
    • Re: TX: Cleve "Sarge" Foster scheduled for January 11 — Petra., Tue Oct 5 16:55
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            • TX: Cleve Foster - The U.S.SC gave a last-minute STAY — Petra., Wed Jan 12 14:10
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              • TX: Victims' families distressed by delay of Cleve Foster's — Petra., Sat Jan 15 10:13
                Victims' families distressed by delay of Cleve Foster's execution Posted Friday, Jan. 14, 2011 BY TIM MADIGAN tmadigan@star-telegram.com Assured by officials that convicted killer Cleve Foster had... more
              • TX: Cleve Foster - Stay of Execution for Sarge — Petra., Wed Jan 12 17:58
                http://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/011111zr.pdf
                • TX: Supreme Court lifts stay of execution -Cleve Foster — Petra., Tue Jan 18 14:25
                  Supreme Court lifts stay of execution in Fort Worth slaying Posted Tuesday, Jan. 18, 20110 BY TIM MADIGAN tmadigan@star-telegram.com The U.S. Supreme Court today denied the appeal of condemned killer ... more
                  • TX: Cleve Foster - New execution date set — Petra., Sat Jan 29 17:06
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                    • Cleve Foster has moved a step closer to execution scheduled — Petra., Mon Apr 4 17:04
                      Death Row inmate denied last-minute clemency in Fort Worth murder case Posted Monday, Apr. 04, 20110 The Associated Press Condemned prisoner Cleve Foster has moved a step closer to execution... more
                      • Texas Execution Tomorrow Risks Needless Pain and Suffering — Petra., Tue Apr 5 12:37
                        Apr 4th, 2011 Posted by Anna Arceneaux, Capital Punishment Projectat CAPITAL PUNISHMENT Texas Execution Tomorrow Risks Needless Pain and Suffering Tomorrow, Texas plans to execute Cleve Foster using... more
                      • Why are Texas authorities in such a hurry to execute ? — Petra., Tue Apr 5 12:36
                    • TX: Cleve Foster Seeks Reprieve Over Drug Method — Petra., Mon Apr 4 13:46
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                      • TX: Cleve Foster - Supreme Court Issues Stay of Execution — Petra., Tue Apr 5 13:03
                        Supreme Court Issues Stay of Execution By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS Published: April 5, 2011 The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday morning granted a temporary stay of execution to Cleve Foster, a former... more
                        • TX: 2. Stay this year for Cleve Foster — Petra., Tue Apr 5 13:44
                          Tuesday, April 5, 2011 The U.S. Supreme Court Has Stopped Today's Scheduled Execution of Cleve Foster in Texas The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday morning granted a stay of execution to Cleve... more
                          • TX: A Horror at Every Turn — Petra., Sat Apr 9 07:08
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                          • U.S. Supreme Court blocks tonight's Texas execution — Petra., Tue Apr 5 13:55
                            U.S. Supreme Court blocks tonight's Texas execution Associated Press April 5, 2011, 11:19AM The U.S. Supreme Court blocked the first scheduled execution of a Texas death row inmate using... more
                    • Cleve Foster -Texas set to use new drug in Tuesday execution — Petra., Mon Apr 4 12:38
                      Texas set to use new drug in Tuesday execution By MICHAEL GRACZYK © 2011 The Associated Press April 3, 2011, 3:22PM LIVINGSTON, Texas — Cleve Foster says he's not afraid to die — but he doesn't want... more
                    • TX: Cleve Foster -Judge denies request to block drug — Petra., Sat Apr 2 17:22
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                      • TX: Cleve Foster -Execution of woman's killer still being — Petra., Sun Apr 3 06:36
                        Execution of woman's killer still being challenged Posted Saturday, Apr. 02, 2011 BY MELODY MCDONALD mjmcdonald@star-telegram.com More than nine years ago, on Valentine's Day, construction workers... more
                        • One sided discussion — timmie, Mon Apr 4 21:39
                          So I see this site has become even more of a one sided discussion board. In fact this is not a discussion board anylonger.
                          • Re: One sided discussion — Petra., Thu Jun 21 17:16
                            damn... do debate about this torture receive 3 execution dates and stopping the murder an hour before in one year. Cleve Foster, 47, known as "Sarge" on Death Row, had eaten his final meal and was... more
                          • Texas excecution cell empty today again — Petra., Tue Apr 5 13:47
                            What do you have to say?
                          • Texas' switch in execution drugs warrants proper review — Petra., Tue Apr 5 12:27
                            Texas' switch in execution drugs warrants proper review Posted Monday, Apr. 04, 2011 A state-administered execution isn't supposed to inflict as much pain and horror on the convicted killer as the... more
                          • Re: One sided discussion — Mal Reynolds, Tue Apr 5 11:35
                            I like how they have to keep recycling old posts to make it look like there is even minimal activity on this board. lol!
                    • TX: Execution Set for April, But State Out of Key Drug — Petra., Wed Mar 9 14:00
                      Execution Set for April, But State Out of Key Drug • by Brandi Grissom Judges have set the dates for four more executions this year, and all of them scheduled to take place after the state's supply... more
                      • Texas: New execution drug chosen — Petra., Wed Mar 16 15:38
                        New execution drug chosen By Mike Ward | Wednesday, March 16, 2011 Texas will change the three-drug cocktail it uses to execute condemned criminals — switching from the difficult-to-get sodium... more
                  • TX: Cleve Foster -Sister Speaks Out — Petra., Thu Jan 27 17:24
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          • Cleve Foster scheduled to be executed tonight in Texas. — Petra., Tue Jan 11 13:38
            Henderson County, Kentuck, native is scheduled to be executed tonight in Texas. A jury found Cleve Foster guilty in 2004 of the rape and murder of a 28-year-old woman in Fort Worth. Foster claims he... more
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