Indiana Governor Rejects Clemency for Jeffrey Weisheit Despite Pharmacy Probation Concerns
Weisheit faces execution on November 5 for the 2010 murders of two children, even after his lawyers argued the drug provider was under state review.
By Meera Fletcher ·
Indiana Governor Eric J. Braun denied clemency for Jeffrey Weisheit on Monday, allowing the state to proceed with his scheduled execution next week. The decision comes after Weisheit's legal team filed a motion seeking a temporary stay of execution based on concerns regarding the supplier of his lethal injection drugs.
Weisheit is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection before dawn on Thursday, November 5. He was convicted in the 2010 murders of Alyssa Lynch, who was eight, and Caleb Lynch, who was five. The crimes occurred during a house fire in Vanderburgh County.
The motion for a stay, filed on Monday, centered on the source of the pentobarbitol used for the execution. Weisheit's attorneys stated the state purchased the drug from Pharmaneek, a pharmacy placed on indefinite probation by the Indiana Board of Pharmacy on March 31. The board cited failures in safety inspections and unprofessional practices that led to drug contamination. A hearing to determine if Pharmaneek's license will be terminated is currently set for November 9.
Attorney Joe Perkovich represented the view that the state should not use drugs from a pharmacy it is seeking to shut down. In a release, Perkovich described the situation as alarming, noting that the Attorney General's Office wants to close the facility due to major safety issues in drug storage and management. He urged the governor to pause executions and conduct an independent investigation into the quality and procurement of the drugs to ensure they meet legal standards.
Governor Braun announced his decision just after 4 p.m. on Monday. In a written statement, he said he was accepting the unanimous recommendation from the Parole Board to deny clemency. The governor stated that the Indiana Department of Correction would continue preparations to carry out the court-ordered sentence on November 5, 2026.
The Indiana Department of Correction responded to the request for a stay by asserting its adherence to state laws. A statement from the department said it is in compliance with Indiana laws that govern the confidential procurement of execution drugs. The department expressed confidence in its process and its ability to humanely carry out the lawfully imposed sentence for the murders of two children.
Source: WRTV
