US experimenting on prisoners because of lethal drug shortage - expert

Convicted Ohio killer Dennis McGuire became on Thursday the first prisoner put to death using a new lethal drug combo. US officials used intravenous doses of two drugs, the sedative midazolam and the painkiller hydromorphone, to put McGuire to death. Human rights activists accuse state authorities of testing poisons on people. Kara Gotsch, Director of National Programs at the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, discussed the controversial issue in a new interview.

What’s your take on the new method used for the execution of a Mr.McGuire? Do you think the use of this never-tried combination is justified?

Photos: Authority host Prisoners Beauty Pageant In Colombia

 Bogota, Colombia -- The Buen Pastor prison in Colombia's capital, where 2,222 women are serving their time, has been hosting beauty pageants for 18 years. Often, local TV and musical celebrities would serve as judges. There are no age restrictions, and there is a separate category for unmarried women. This year's beauty contest was held last Friday, September 27, 2013. Six women competed for the title of 'Queen Mother' ('Reina Madre'). The pageant is usually held on the day when the Virgin of Mercy, who is a patron saint of prisoners, is celebrated. The majority of women have been convicted, or awaiting trial for drug trafficking. Organizers of the event say women, though being imprisoned, have not forgotten their feminine side. 
See more photos after the break.