Idaho lawmakers have approved a new administrative rule for the state’s prison system designed to ensure secrecy surrounding the source of the state’s lethal injection drugs. Like previous versions, the rule forbids the Idaho Department of Correction from disclosing “under any circumstance” information that DOC director Josh Tewalt determines could jeopardize the agency’s ability to carry out an execution. The new version also specifically forbids the release of information that could potentially identify both past and future suppliers of lethal injection drugs. It’s not yet clear if the rule will interfere with an ongoing lawsuit brought by University of Idaho Professor Aliza Cover, who sued the IDOC seeking access to lethal injection documents under the state’s Public Records law two years ago. Cover largely won at the state court level, but the department appealed and the Idaho Supreme Court is expected to hear the case at some point this year. (AP)Photo by patrick lanza on Unsplash
