Opinion ID: 867277
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Constitutionality of Arizona's method of execution by lethal injection

Text: ¶ 63 Arizona administers the death penalty by an intravenous injection of a substance or substances in a lethal quantity sufficient to cause death, under the supervision of the state department of corrections. A.R.S. § 13-757(A) (2010). Hargrave argues that Arizona's method of execution by lethal injection fails to provide procedural safeguards that ensure a humane execution and is unconstitutionally cruel and unusual. ¶ 64 We have rejected the claim that Arizona's method of execution by lethal injection automatically constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. See State v. Van Adams, 194 Ariz. 408, 422 ¶ 55, 984 P.2d 16, 30 (1999). Defendants seeking to challenge the lethal injection protocol must file a petition pursuant to Arizona Rule of Criminal Procedure 32. Andriano, 215 Ariz. at 510 n. 9, ¶ 62, 161 P.3d at 553 n. 9.