Judge: Arizona doesn't have to reveal execution drug sources

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona can keep private what companies supply drugs for executions, a judge ruled Thursday in a lawsuit that argued the public has a right to know that information about the death penalty.

U.S. District Judge Murray Snow also rejected a bid to order the state to divulge the qualifications of people who carry out capital punishment in Arizona.

The decision marked a defeat for news organizations, including The Associated Press, that sued to get the information released, saying it would help the public determine whether executions are carried out humanely and promote confidence in the criminal justice system.