Indiana purchased execution drugs from pharmacy under investigation

State Procures Lethal Injection Drugs From Probationary Pharmacy Ahead of Execution

Indiana purchased its lethal injection drugs from an Indianapolis pharmacy that is currently under state investigation and on probation for drug contamination, according to legal petitions filed ahead of a scheduled execution. Attorneys for death row inmate Jeffrey Weisheit revealed the procurement details in an effort to halt the Nov. 5 execution, pointing to records obtained through an improperly redacted invoice that identified Pharmaneek Pharmacy Services as the supplier.

The state Department of Correction acquired six 50-milliliter vials of pentobarbital on Sept. 25 for $275,000, taking delivery of the drugs on Oct. 29, according to agency spokesperson Noelle Russell. While state law shields details regarding the acquisition of lethal substances, attorneys representing Weisheit discovered the supplier through the address listed on invoice documents. indystar.com reported that the listed address matches Pharmaneek’s facility at 7345 Woodland Dr, Suite A.

State Pharmacy Board Moves to Suspend Supplier License

The disclosure brings renewed scrutiny to Indiana’s capital punishment protocols, coming as the state Board of Pharmacy moves to potentially suspend the supplier’s license this month. According to exhibits attached to the defense petition, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office filed a complaint against the pharmacy last November, resulting in a settlement and probationary status following multiple failed inspections.

A look into where the State gets execution drugs

It is alarming that the state purchased these drugs from a pharmacy it is trying to shut down due to major safety issues in the storage and management of drugs, said Joe Perkovich, one of Weisheit’s attorneys, in a news release.

State regulatory filings cited numerous infractions at the facility, including unlabeled pill bottles, expired medications on active shelves, a lack of consistent temperature logs, and a storage room maintained at 84 degrees. Neither Pharmaneek nor the Board of Pharmacy immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the ongoing investigation.

Governor Braun Denies Clemency After Unanimous Board Recommendation

Hours after defense attorneys publicly disclosed the supplier details and petitioned Gov. Mike Braun for an independent review and a stay of execution, Braun announced he was denying Weisheit clemency. The decision follows a unanimous recommendation by the Indiana Parole Board last week.

Indiana purchased execution drugs from pharmacy under investigation — Photo: yahoo.com

Both the Department of Correction and the Attorney General’s office maintained that the state will proceed in compliance with state law. We remain confident in our process and our ability to humanely carry out the lawfully imposed sentence for the murders of two innocent children, the department stated, declining to address specific questions regarding past infractions at the supplying pharmacy.

Legal counsel for Weisheit also argued that Indiana’s protocol mirrors procedures in Tennessee that previously resulted in troubled executions, while raising additional concerns regarding the use of prison guards instead of medical professionals to insert intravenous lines. Indiana resumed executions in December 2024 following a 15-year hiatus, utilizing lethal injection on three men within less than a year, while remaining one of two states that do not allow media at executions.