Texas Supreme Court Halts Release of Drug Supplier

HOUSTON (AP) _ The Texas Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a lower court’s order that the state prison agency must tell attorneys for two death row inmates the name of the supplier of a new batch of lethal injection drugs.

The decision Friday came shortly after an appeals court upheld a state district judge’s ruling ordering prison officials to disclose the information. The agency had filed an emergency appeal.

Attorneys for two death row inmates set to die next month filed a lawsuit in the case. They argued they should have the name of the supplier of pentobarbital that would be used to execute the prisoners.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice wants to keep it secret, citing escalating threats of violence against execution drug providers.

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