In this special episode of Unpacking Injustice, we’re sharing the recording of Montana Innocence Project’s Community Conversation with Corinna Barrett Lain, author of Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection.
During the conversation, Corinna takes us back to the origins of lethal injection and examines how a method that appears scientific and clinical was developed with surprisingly little scientific research behind it. She explores what actually happens during a lethal injection and why the reality of execution can look very different from the peaceful, clinical image often presented to the public.
The conversation also looks at the secrecy surrounding executions. Why have states kept so much of the execution process hidden from public view? And what does that lack of transparency mean when the government is exercising the power to take someone’s life?
She also discusses the implications for innocent people. More than 200 people have been exonerated from death row, raising fundamental questions about what happens when a system capable of making mistakes is entrusted with an irreversible punishment.
Throughout the conversation, we return to questions of transparency, government power, accountability, and what responsibility the state has when carrying out the ultimate punishment.
Thank you to Corinna for joining us and sharing her research and insights. We hope you take something meaningful away from this conversation. And if you do, Corinna asks that you share what you learned with at least five people. Conversations like these have the power to reach beyond the people in the room—and sharing what we learn is one way we can help create a more informed and thoughtful conversation about the death penalty.