Alabama Electric Chair To Remain Idle

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – A bill that would bring back Alabama’s electric chair, and keep secret the suppliers of death penalty drugs, appears dead for the session.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday cancelled a meeting that included a vote on the bill.

Since 2002, Alabama has used lethal injection as the primary form of execution. However in recent years Alabama, and other death penalty states, have struggled to obtain the death penalty drugs.

The Alabama House of Representatives in March voted to resume use of Alabama’s “Yellow Mama” electric chair if lethal injection drugs couldn’t be found. It would also keep secret the names of the drug suppliers.

Executions are on hold as Alabama awaits a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the humaneness of a lethal injection drug the state plans to use.