State Senator Saud Anwar Releases Statement Following ‘Last Week Tonight’ Discussion Of Lethal Injection Drugs Allegedly Created In Connecticut

State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) today released the following statement following the April 7 episode of “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” which covered the topic of executions via lethal injections in the United States. The television episode included allegations that a Hamden company, Absolute Standards, is a producer of lethal injection drugs used in executions in other states.

“I’m grateful that John Oliver and his production team are focused on such an important issue, one that lawmakers in Connecticut have attempted to address. As the Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee, I have explored introducing a bill that would restrict sales and production of drugs including pentobarbital in the state of Connecticut. However, the Public Health Committee does not have jurisdiction to stop production of these drugs, and my efforts to move forward were restricted. Following this report, I have reaffirmed my efforts to make this a priority and will continue working to advance such policy in the near future. Connecticut banned the death sentence more than a decade ago; our state should not be complicit in death sentences elsewhere in the United States.”