Lethal injection is now the primary execution method used by the federal government and all executing states. Often dressed up to resemble a medical procedure, it appears to offer a kinder, more gentle death. But records obtained by NPR and WFIU suggest the federal government's preferred execution chemical caused massive damage to prisoners' lungs and might have caused excruciating pain in their final moments.

Coming up in episode 5:

Why was the execution spree split along racial lines?

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Rush to Kill is available at wfiu.org/rushtokill.

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