RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The controversial execution drug approved by the U.S. Supreme Court is used in Virginia, but no executions are scheduled and the state's supply expires at the end of September.
Midazolam is one of three drugs Virginia can use in step one of its three-drug execution protocol. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Lisa Kinney says the state doesn't have either of the other two step-one drugs and is unable to obtain them. Also, it's uncertain whether additional midazolam will be available after the current batch expires.
The department has the drugs used in steps two and three. They don't expire until next year.
Virginia added midazolam to its protocol last year but hasn't used it. The state's last lethal injection execution was in August 2011.
Eight men are on Virginia's death row.
