Alabama Department of Corrections releases death penalty protocol

The Alabama Department of Corrections publicly released its death penalty protocol Wednesday following an order from a federal judge.

The 17-page document describes the procedures involved with the death penalty, along with information about post-execution responsibilities. The document also describes the materials used for the implementation of the lethal injection procedure, which include the chemicals Potassium Chloride and Rocuronium Bromide.

The process for notifying the offender is also described in the report: “Once the death warrant has been issued, the Warden will advise the offender as soon as possible. This will normally be done in an attempt to notify the inmate prior to announcement by the news media.” Some of the information in the report was omitted for the purposes of state security. Currently, 175 inmates are on death row in Alabama, according to the Department of Correction’s website.