First execution in Arizona in nearly 8 years set for May

(KYMA, KECY/ AP News) - The first execution in Arizona in eight years is now scheduled after the Arizona Supreme Court issued an execution warrant.

The state’s highest court set a May 11 execution date for Clarence Dixon, who was convicted 20 years ago of the long-time cold case murder of an Arizona State student.

The last time Arizona used the death penalty was in July 2014, when a man was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over two hours.

Dixon has 20 days to decide whether to be injected with a lethal drug or be executed by the gas chamber. If he doesn’t make a choice, lethal injection will serve as the default method of execution.

Last year, Arizona Corrections Officials revealed that they had finally obtained a lethal injection drug that they struggled to buy in recent years and were now ready to resume executions.