BOISE, Idaho — In a significant development, officials from Idaho’s prison system plan to move forward with the execution of the longest-serving inmate on death row next month using revised protocols after a failed attempt earlier this year.

On Wednesday morning, a judge authorized a death warrant for Thomas Eugene Creech, shortly after the Idaho Department of Correction revealed that enhancements have been made to the execution chamber. These improvements will enable the execution team to insert catheters into deeper veins in areas such as the neck, groin, chest, or arms if they encounter difficulties in establishing a typical peripheral intravenous line.

This procedural update follows a challenging attempt to execute Creech in February, during which the team struggled to find a usable vein. They explored eight different sites on his arms and legs but were unsuccessful in accessing a vein suitable for administering the lethal injection drugs.