States Hesitate To Lead Change On Executions.

The article focuses on the reluctance of U.S. states to change their means of capital punishment by lethal injection despite the fact less painful means are available. State officials are reluctant to switch to the one-drug method used by veterinarians to euthanize animals out of political concerns. On January 7, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the case Baze v. Rees, which argues that the three-drug method used for executions constitutes unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment.