Last week, the chair of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, asked Department of Corrections Director Scott Frakes to appear before the committee to be questioned as a part of the investigation into the validity of the department’s new lethal injection protocol. Director Frakes declined the invitation, citing the pending litigation on the matter. The Judiciary Committee then requested permission to subpoena him, which the Executive Board of the Legislature granted by a vote of 5-3. He was subpoenaed to testify at a hearing at the capitol at 9 AM on Tuesday, May 8th. Good news, right? Maybe we’ll finally get some answers about just how this new protocol was drafted.
That is the hope, but the Ricketts administration isn’t going to be open and honest about how they intend to kill citizens without putting up a fight. Even if they’re forced to bring their secret execution plans to the light of day, they’re going to do it kicking and screaming. Yesterday afternoon, Attorney General Doug Peterson sued the Clerk of the Legislature, the Judiciary Committee, and the Executive Board to stop the subpoena.
This administration is trying everything they possibly can to keep the details of the execution protocol a secret. They clearly have something to hide!
The Lincoln Journal-Star said it well in a recent editorial: “Before Nebraska can hold convicted killers accountable, it first must do so for itself - something it’s shown more interest in obfuscating than pursuing.”