Governor Jeff Landry announced the state will resume executions using nitrogen gas suffocation after the corrections agency updated its protocol. State Representative Nicholas Muscarello who crafted the legislation says use of the nitrogen gas is not unconstitutional.
“From a legal standpoint, and im an attorney and I want to follow the law. It’s been deemed constitutional, and so I think that argument is a pretty tough hill to climb for the people arguing that.”
The director of the Loyola Center for Social Justice Cecilla Kappel called it a reckless misuse of state resources.
“These warrants and this attempt to restart executions is nothing but a distraction from the very real problems with our death penalty system.”
Muscarello says Landry is honoring his commitment to the victims of these crimes.
“It’s been deemed constitutional. It’s done by 23 other states. We make a commitment to the victims of the families and I plan on honoring that commitment when I handle this legislation, and I think the Governor is following through with what he said he was going to do.”
Kappel says Landry bringing back the death penalty is only political and it’s a practice that is not needed in Louisiana.
“We haven’t had a contested execution in over 20 years, and that’s through both Republican and Democratic Governors. Louisiana is now taking a step back to the bad old days of executions”
Rapids Parish District Attorney is obtaining Death Warrants for Larry Roy known as the “Cheneyville Slasher” killing two people in 1998, will be the first to be put to death under the new protocol on March 19 if courts don’t step in.
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