Department of Corrections Returns Propofol to Distributor

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Intro:	Missouri may soon have to search for a new method to carry out the death penalty.
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Wrap: In a statement released Wednesday, the Missouri Department of Corrections said they would be returning a shipment of German-made propofol to its U.S. distributor

This comes eleven months after the company's request.

The department's compliance comes after several threats from the European Union to cut the U-S's propofol supply if the drug is used in execution.

Republican Senator Kurt Schaefer believes the governor will have to ask the lawmakers to approve another method.

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Description: "It is the obligation of the governor to basically have a mechanism by with to carry [executions] out. Currently on the books there are two legal methods for the Governor to use."

Those two methods are lethal injection and lethal gas.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Creighton Hayes.

Intro:	After the European Union's threat to limit U.S.' most popular anesthetic, the Missouri Department of Corrections returned its foreign supply.
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Wrap: The Missouri Department of Corrections will return its shipment of German-made propofol to its American distributor.

In a statement released Wednesday, the department says the distributor requested the order be returned eleven months ago.

The recent controversy surrounding propofol led Republican Senator Kurt Schaefer to raise questions about the use of the drug as a method of execution.

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Description: "What this whole issue has raised is the serious question about the viability of propofol as a permanent or long term mechanism to carry out judgements of executions. Which I think what all this shows is it's probably not."

The department of Corrections did not respond to any of our calls.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Creighton Hayes.