ACLU Statement on Dept. of Corrections Issuing of a Death Notice

LINCOLN, Neb – Today the Nebraska Department of Corrections issued a notice of execution to another prisoner in Nebraska. ACLU of Nebraska Executive Director Danielle Conrad issued the following statement in response:

“Issuing a notice of execution in the wake of ongoing litigation is a waste of taxpayer dollars. All individuals sentenced to death in Nebraska are currently involved in multiple legal challenges about the nature of Nebraska’s execution protocols. The State of Nebraska cannot obtain an execution warrant while these claims are outstanding. Additionally, the State of Nebraska has failed to comply with our robust open records law to unveil the source of their newfound lethal injection drugs. Nebraskans have a right to know what is happening with their taxpayer dollars and are left to wonder what the Department of Corrections and Governor Pete Ricketts are hiding. Corrections Director Scott Frakes spent the past week responding to concerns from lawmakers about the state of Nebraska’s overcrowded prison system. The Department of Corrections should be focusing on addressing the existing crisis in Nebraska’s prison system instead of diverting time attention and resources to Nebraska’s broken death penalty.”