Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 137.473 (2026)

Means of inflicting death; place and procedures; acquisition of lethal substance

✓ current as of May 2026

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137.473 Means of inflicting death; place and procedures; acquisition of lethal substance. (1) The punishment of death shall be inflicted by the intravenous administration of a lethal quantity of an ultra-short-acting barbiturate in combination with a chemical paralytic agent and potassium chloride or other equally effective substances sufficient to cause death. The judgment shall be executed by the superintendent of the Department of Corrections institution in which the execution takes place, or by the designee of that superintendent. All executions shall take place within the enclosure of a Department of Corrections institution designated by the Director of the Department of Corrections. The superintendent of the institution shall be present at the execution and shall invite the presence of one or more physicians, physician associates or nurse practitioners, the Attorney General, the sheriff of the county in which the judgment was rendered and representatives from the media. At the request of the defendant, the superintendent shall allow no more than two members of the clergy designated by the defendant to be present at the execution. At the discretion of the superintendent, no more than five friends and relatives designated by the defendant may be present at the execution. The superintendent shall allow the presence of any peace officers as the superintendent thinks expedient.

(2) The person who administers the lethal injection under subsection (1) of this section shall not thereby be considered to be engaged in the practice of medicine.

(3)(a) Any wholesale distributor drug outlet, as defined in ORS 689.005, registered with the State Board of Pharmacy under ORS 689.305 may provide the lethal substance or substances described in subsection (1) of this section upon written order of the Director of the Department of Corrections, accompanied by a certified copy of the judgment of the court imposing the punishment.

(b) For purposes of ORS 689.527 (7) the director shall be considered authorized to purchase the lethal substance or substances described in subsection (1) of this section.

(c) The lethal substance or substances described in subsection (1) of this section are not controlled substances when purchased, possessed or used for purposes of this section.

(4) The superintendent may require that persons who are present at the execution under subsection (1) of this section view the initial execution procedures, prior to the point of the administration of the lethal injection, by means of a simultaneous closed-circuit television transmission under the direction and control of the superintendent. [1985 c.3 §7; 1987 c.320 §38; 1993 c.137 §1; 2001 c.104 §46; 2001 c.213 §1; 2003 c.103 §4; 2005 c.471 §9; 2014 c.45 §24; 2023 c.93 §3; 2024 c.73 §38]

137.475 [1979 c.2 §7; repealed by 1981 c.873 §9]

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 10 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1994–2022 · leading case: Baze v. Rees, 553 U.S. 35 (2008).

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Baze v. Rees, 553 U.S. 35 (2008). · cites it 4× “22, § 1014 (West 2001); Ore.Rev.Stat. § 137.473 (2003); Pa. Stat.”

Oregon Newspaper Publishers Ass'n v. Oregon Dep't of Corr., 988 P.2d 359 (Or. 1999). · cites it 6× “Petitioners’ statutory challenge arises under ORS 137.473. That statute provides, in part: *120 “(1) The punishment of death shall be inflicted by the intravenous administration of a lethal quantity of an ultra-short-acting barbiturate in combination with a chemical paralytic…”

Nance v. Ward, 597 U.S. 159 (2022). “22 (A) (Lexis 2021); Ore. Rev. Stat. §137.473(1) (2021); 61 Pa.”

State v. Webb, 750 A.2d 448 (Conn. 2000). “22 § 1014 (West 1986); Oregon, Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 137.473 (1991); Pennsylvania, Pa.”

State v. Deputy, 644 A.2d 411 (Del. Super. Ct. 1994). “22, § 1014 (West 1993)); Oregon (Or.Rev.Stat. § 137.473 (1993)); Pennsylvania (Pa.”

Beardslee v. Woodford, 395 F.3d 1064 (9th Cir. 2005). “22, § 1014 ; Oregon, Or.Rev.Stat. § 137.473, amended by 2003 Or, Laws 103; Pennsylvania, Pa.”

Cooper v. Rimmer, 379 F.3d 1029 (9th Cir. 2004). “22, § 1014 ; Oregon, Or.Rev.Stat. § 137.473, amended by 2003 Or.”

Cooper v. Rimmer, 358 F.3d 655 (9th Cir. 2004). “22, § 1014 ; Oregon, Or.Rev.Stat. § 137.473, amended by 2003 Or.”

Oregon Newspaper Publishers Ass'n v. Dep't of Corr., 966 P.2d 819 (Or. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 3× “” In that light, ORS 137.473(1) provides that “[a]ll executions shall take place within the enclosure of a Department of Corrections institution designated by the Director of the Department of Corrections.”

Beardslee v. Woodford (9th Cir. 2005). “22, § 1014 ; Oregon, Or. Rev. Stat. § 137.473 , amended by 2003 Or.”

— Or. Rev. Stat. § 137.473(1) — 2 cases

Nance v. Ward, 597 U.S. 159 (2022). “22 (A) (Lexis 2021); Ore. Rev. Stat. §137.473(1) (2021); 61 Pa.”

Oregon Newspaper Publishers Ass'n v. Dep't of Corr., 966 P.2d 819 (Or. Ct. App. 1998). “” In that light, ORS 137.473(1) provides that “[a]ll executions shall take place within the enclosure of a Department of Corrections institution designated by the Director of the Department of Corrections.”

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