Doctors question sedative dose used in Oklahoma execution

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
Associated Press

Medical experts say it’s unclear why an Oklahoma inmate began convulsing and vomiting after the first of three drugs used to execute him was administered. But they all agree the dosage was massive compared with what’s standard in surgeries. Jonathan Groner is a surgery professor at Ohio State University’s medical school and a lethal injection expert. He calls the 500 milligrams of the sedative midazolam administered to John Grant “insane.” He says there’s no data to measure the impact of a dose that size. The Oklahoma Department of Corrections says the execution was carried out in accordance with the agency’s protocols. Arkansas and Ohio are among other states that use that dose of midazolam in executions.