States may overwhelmingly choose the lethal injection method of execution these days, but that doesn’t mean that the same procedure is followed or the same drugs are used. Consider and compare the drugs, and drug combinations, used in executions as compiled by the Death Penalty Information Center in its State by State Lethal Injection Protocols Table.  (Note the Florida protocol has been updated since this table was created.)

2019 Florida Execution Protocol: 3 Drugs in Lethal Injection Cocktail

As of February 2019, the State of Florida execution protocol involves the following (go here to read the full Lethal Injection Protocol submitted to the Governor of Florida by the Florida Department of Corrections) insofar as the preparation of the fatal drugs:

Four Syringes are Prepared with Three Drugs and Saline Solution

(f) A designated execution team member, in the presence of one or more additional team members and an independent observer from FDLE, will prepare the lethal injection chemicals as follows, ensuring that each syringe used in the lethal injection process is appropriately labeled, including the name of the chemical contained therein:

(1) Etomidate injection: A sterile, disposable sixty cubic centimeter (60cc) syringe and needle will be used to draw fifty milliliters (50mls) of etomidate injection 2mg/ml from one or more vials containing same, for a total of one hundred milligrams (100mg) of etomidate injection. The syringe will then be fitted with an eighteen (18) gauge, one (1) inch, blunt cannula (tube), clearly labeled with the number one (1), and placed in the first slot on a stand designed to hold eight (8) such syringes in separate slots. The stand will be clearly labeled with the letter “A.” This process will be repeated with a second syringe, which will be clearly labeled with a number two (2) and placed in the second slot on stand “A.”

Two additional syringes will be drawn in the same manner, fitted with the blunt cannula, and clearly labeled with the numbers one ( 1) and two (2), respectively. These two syringes will be placed in the first two slots on a second stand that has been clearly labeled with the letter “B.” All materials used to prepare these syringes will be removed from the work area and discarded pursuant to state and federal law.

(2) Rocuronium bromide injection: A sterile, disposable sixty cubic centimeter (60cc) syringe wi11 be used to draw five hundred milligrams (500mg) of rocuronium bromide injection from one or more vials containing same. The syringe will then be fitted with an eighteen (18) gauge, one (I) inch, blunt cannula (tube). This procedure will be repeated until there are four (4) syringes, each containing five hundred milligrams (500mg) of rocuronium bromide injection, for a total oftwo thousand milligrams (2000mg). Two syringes will be clearly labeled with the numbers four (4) and five (5), respectively, and placed into slots four (4) and five (5) on stand “A.” This procedure will be repeated with the other two syringes, each of which will be fitted with a blunt cannula, labeled appropriately and placed in slots four (4) and five (5), respectively, on stand “B.” All materials used to prepare these syringes wi11 be removed from the work area and discarded pursuant to state and federal law.

(3) Potassium acetate injection: A sterile, disposable sixty cubic centimeter (60cc) syringe will be used to draw one hundred twenty milliequivalents (120mEq) of potassium acetate injection from one or more vials containing same. The syringe will then be fitted with an eighteen (18) gauge, one (1) inch blunt cannula (tube). This procedure will be repeated until there are four (4) syringes, each containing one hundred twenty milliequivalents (120mEq) of potassium acetate injection, for a total of four hundred eighty ( 480) milliequivalents. Two syringes will be clearly labeled with the numbers seven (7) and eight (8), respectively, and placed into slots seven (7) and eight (8) on stand “A.” This procedure will be repeated with the other two syringes, each of which will be fitted with a blunt cannula, labeled appropriately, and placed in slots seven (7) and eight (8), respectively, on stand “B.” All materials used to prepare these syringes will be removed from the work area and discarded pursuant to state and federal law.

(4) Saline solution: A sterile, disposable twenty cubic centimeter (20cc) syringe will be used to draw twenty milliliters (20ml) of sterile saline solution from one or more vials containing same. This procedure will be repeated until there are four (4) syringes, each containing twenty milliliters (20ml) of sterile saline solution, for a total of eighty (80) milliliters. Each syringe will then be fitted with an
eighteen (18) gauge, one (1) inch, blunt cannula (tube). Two syringes will be clearly labeled with the numbers three (3) and six (6), respectively, and placed into slots three (3) and six (6) on stand “A.” This procedure will be repeated with the other two syringes, each of which will be p1aced in slots three (3) and six (6), respectively, on stand “B.” All materials used to prepare these syringes
will be removed from the work area and discarded pursuant to state and federal law.

Syringes Transported to Executioner’s Room

(g) The execution team member who has prepared the lethal chemicals will transport them personally, in the presence of one or more additional members of  the execution team, to the executioner’s room. Stand “A” will be placed on the worktop for use by the primary executioner, to be used during the execution by lethal injection. Stand “B” will be placed on a shelf underneath the worktop within easy reach of the executioners should they be needed during the execution. Stand “B” will not be used unless expressly ordered to be used by the team warden. The lethal chemicals will remain secure until the executioners arrive. No one other than the executioners will have access to the lethal chemicals, unless a stay is granted, in which case the execution team member who
prepared the lethal chemicals will retrieve them from the locked room and dispose of them according to state and federal law.