Indiana Gov Braun Allows October 10 Execution Despite Legal Challenges

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has denied clemency for death row inmate Roy Lee Ward, allowing his execution to proceed as planned on October 10. Ward was convicted of the 2001 rape and murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne, and the Indiana Parole Board unanimously recommended against clemency, highlighting the brutal nature of the crime and Payne's suffering. This execution will be Indiana's third since resuming capital punishment in December 2024 after a long hiatus, following executions earlier in 2024 of Joseph Corcoran and Benjamin Ritchie. Ward's legal team is challenging the use of the drug pentobarbital in the execution protocol, citing concerns over potential pain and suffering, including evidence from Ritchie's execution where adverse reactions were reported. The Indiana Department of Correction has secured three sets of pentobarbital, though some doses are near expiration. Unless a court intervenes, the execution is set to move forward despite ongoing federal litigation.