The Death Penalty in Arizona: Past, Present, Future

The use of the death penalty in Arizona began in Florence, Arizona in 1910. The different methods of execution in Arizona have included death by hanging (1910-1931), lethal gas (1931-1992), and lethal injection (1992-present). The methods of execution in Arizona have changed due to both legal and social factors. Multiple articles have been published with the community’s opinion on the method being used during the specific periods. Arizona has been caught twice trying to illegally import lethal injection drugs, the first time in 2011 and then in 2015. To continue executions Arizona needs to either revise its protocol or choose a new method. In 2021, the state has purchased lethal gases, refurbished its gas chamber, and purchased lethal injection drugs. Currently, Arizona still has lethal injection as the form of execution, and it is unclear what the state plans to do moving forward. As Arizona is unsure of how to proceed, nitrogen hypoxia is a method the state should investigate. The state should move forward like Oklahoma and try a new method instead of taking a step back to a method deemed inadequate.