Posted: August 19, 2015
A recent op-ed by
former Texas Governor Mark White
(pictured) and former Florida Supreme
Court Chief Justice Gerald Kogan
criticized a recently passed North
Carolina law that imposes secrecy on
the source of lethal injection drugs
and removes execution procedures from
public review and comment. The authors
said the new law will only prolong
litigation, rather than ending North
Carolina's hold on executions, as
intended. The op-ed also maintained
that the new policy violates
democratic principles: "The foundation
of our constitutional republic lies in
accountability and transparency,
enabling American citizens to learn
and debate about policy. Yet citizens
cannot engage in robust conversations
when basic information is hidden."
Arguing that both supporters and
opponents of the death penalty should
oppose secrecy, they said, "Regardless
of our views on the death penalty,
Americans must maintain a principled
approach to its implementation. The
standard ought to be the U.S.
Constitution, which mandates the
government impose no cruel and unusual
punishments. As long as states
implement the death penalty, we must
ensure they follow this constitutional
standard."
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