Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Nevada official responsible for execution plan has resigned

Questions arose about the upcoming execution of a Nevada death row inmate who wants to die, with a disclosure in court that the state official who signed off on the untried three-drug protocol has resigned.

Clark County District Court Judge Jennifer Togliatti responded with surprise Tuesday when she was told that Dr. John DiMuro quit Monday as chief state medical officer.

DiMuro says in a sworn document submitted by the state attorney general's office that his resignation was "completely unrelated" to the planned Nov. 14 execution of Scott Raymond Dozier.

Attorneys from the federal public defender's office have been challenging the newly drawn-up protocol for Dozier's lethal injection.

They said outside court they needed time to gauge what effect DiMuro's resignation will have.

Another hearing is set Friday afternoon.