A protester outside, the Rev. Bryan Brooks, thought otherwise. "This shows the absurdity of the situation," Mr. Brooks said. "The idea that they're going to stabilize him and bring him back to be executed is plainly outrageous."

Mr. Brecheen was supposed to have been put to death at midnight. But guards had trouble waking him in his holding cell at 9 P.M. on Thursday and he was taken to McAlester Regional Hospital, where his stomach was pumped. On the way to the hospital, he was breathing heavily, his pupils were dilated and he drifted in and out of consciousness, officials said, but his condition was never life-threatening.

The execution was delayed about two hours.

The warden at the penitentiary, Ron Ward, refused to speculate on how an inmate on death row could get enough sedatives to cause an overdose, or whether the 40-year-old killer was attempting suicide or just trying to delay his execution.

Before three drugs were pumped into his arm, Mr. Brecheen made a brief statement from the gurney on which he lay strapped, but his words were inaudible because of microphone problems. Guards later said he thanked his parents and did not mention the overdose.

Mr. Brecheen, convicted of shooting to death Marie Stubbs, 59, in a 1983 dispute over money, was strip-searched early Thursday before he was put in the cell next to the execution chamber. The only people to come in contact with him after that, officials said, were two defense lawyers and prison guards. All will be questioned, the officials said.