By C1 Staff
TUCSON, Ariz. — A lawsuit into the secrecy of Arizona executions has been put on hold, pending the investigation of the nearly two-hour execution of Joseph Rudolph Wood.
The Arizona Daily Star reports that a judge granted a join request by the state of Arizona and defense attorneys to put the suit on hold until an independent agency reviews the Department of Corrections’ investigation.
Until the investigation is complete, the DOC will not seek any death warrants for death row inmates.
Arizona officials will also consider changing execution protocols, and consider making any changes public.
The suit was filed in June on behalf of Wood and other death row inmates, claiming that the inmates have a First Amendment right to know about specific execution protocols.
Wood’s July execution brought into question the efficacy of the drugs used, as it took nearly two hours for him to die. He gasped repeatedly before taking his final breath.