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The state made additions and improvements to the chamber in
McAlester following the botched execution of condemned murderer
Clayton Lockett in April, when an intravenous tube was placed
incorrectly in his groin area, according to state officials.
Approximately $34,000 of the $106,000 spent on the project went
to new medical equipment, including an ultrasound machine to
help locate veins on the condemned, state prison officials said.
The "improvements ... will improve overall efficiency,” said
Scott Crow, administrator of field operations at the Oklahoma
Department of Corrections.
The execution chamber was also outfitted with an electronically
controlled bed, restraint and intercom systems and an ECG
machine, prison officials said.
New communications equipment and cameras were also added to the
execution chamber, the adjacent operations room and the two
witness areas, officials said.
Refrigerators designed to hold chemicals were placed in the
operations room, which was also outfitted with monitoring
stations and phone lines. Witness rooms were furnished with new
chairs and carpeting, as well as one-way viewing glass,
according to prison officials.
In addition to the improvements, the state has put in place new
execution protocols, including increasing the dosage of a
controversial sedative and allowing the corrections department
director to choose from four lethal injection options.
Oklahoma postponed executions after Lockett's and has scheduled
three executions in November and December.
(Editing by Brendan O'Brien and Eric Walsh)
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