NewsGovernmentState GovernmentOhio State Government News

Actions

Court orders prison system to share more lethal drug records

Posted at 1:44 PM, Dec 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-21 13:44:24-05

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that the state prison system must share more requested records on the acquisition and supply of its lethal-injection drugs.

The high court decided Friday that the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction could not claim certain documents were entirely exempt from open records laws because they contain information that could identify those who participate in manufacturing or supplying drugs used in executions. Instead, those records should be released with such information redacted.

Lawyers initially complained in 2016 that the state failed to produce a complete set of records about the drugs, including who made them and when they expire.

The department claimed other records were exempt from open records laws. Last December, the court ordered the department to provide records for justices to review.