The Latest: Ohio stays tight-lipped on lethal drug supplies

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Latest on Ohio’s supply of lethal injection drugs and its new execution process (all times local):

4:30 p.m.

Ohio says it has enough lethal injection drugs on hand for a fourth execution this year, but it is staying tight-lipped about additional supplies.

Lawyers for the state prisons system said Friday that in addition to three executions scheduled through April, Ohio has enough drugs for a fourth execution in May.

Records obtained by The Associated Press indicate the state has enough supplies for dozens of executions using a new three-drug method.

State lawyers said those records don’t account for the expiration dates of drugs, which the state previously wouldn’t disclose.

A request was made Friday for those expiration dates.

A federal judge is weighing the constitutionality of Ohio’s new lethal injection system. The state plans to execute condemned child killer Ronald Phillips next month.

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12:05 a.m.

Ohio’s prisons agency is trying to obtain a drug that could reverse the lethal injection process if needed.

Gary Mohr, director of the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, says a request to use the drug would come if executioners weren’t confident the first of three lethal drugs would render a prisoner unconscious.

Mohr said in federal court testimony on Jan. 6 that he would inform Republican Gov. John Kasich (KAY’-sik) and ask for a reprieve at that point.

Prisons spokeswoman JoEllen Smith declined Thursday to comment on Mohr’s testimony, a copy of which was reviewed by The Associated Press.

The drug, flumazenil (fluh-MA’-zeh-nil), is used to reverse the effects of a sedative called midazolam (mih-DAY’-zoh-lam), when that drug causes reactions in patients.

Midazolam is the first drug in Ohio’s new execution method.