Pharma company protests use of epilepsy med for executions.

[Atheistfreethinker]

Phenobarbital or Sodium Thiopental are only part of the death cocktail. These would be used as a sedative to render the prisoner unconscious. Then Norcuron would be given. It is a strong paralytic that ceases breathing and then a lethal dose of potassium chloride is given that interrupts the sodium potassium pump in the heart and causes cardiac arrest. Without the sedative the prisoner would be awake and alert even though he couldn't move because of the paralytic. I'm sure the potassium building up to a lethal dose would also cause chest pain and anxiety even though the prisoner couldn't move. This would be considered cruel and unusual punishment.