Updated

Lawyers for condemned inmates are trying to learn more about Ohio's supply of execution drugs at a time the state prisons agency is reluctant to give out that information.

At issue is whether Ohio has enough drugs for a handful of executions or a supply that could greenlight more than two dozen executions over the next four years.

A filing this week on behalf of an inmate scheduled to die in July attempts to force the state to say more about the drugs it possesses.

Lawyers for that death row prisoner, Robert Van Hook, asked a federal magistrate Tuesday to allow them to challenge the state's new three-drug execution method.

The lawyers say they need time to prepare that challenge, assuming the state has enough execution drugs available.