Index: permissions_api/permissions_api.drush.inc
===================================================================
--- permissions_api/permissions_api.drush.inc	(revision 18883)
+++ permissions_api/permissions_api.drush.inc	(working copy)
@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@
         return dt("Copy permissions from one role to another.");
       case 'drush:perm-list':
         return dt("List permissions assigned to a role.");
-      case 'drush:perm-create':
+      case 'drush:role-create':
         return dt("Create a role.");
+      case 'drush:role-delete':
+        return dt("Delete a role.");
     }
 }
 
@@ -87,17 +89,28 @@
     ),
   );
 
-  $items['perm-create'] = array(
-    'callback' => 'drush_permissions_api_perm_create',
+  $items['role-create'] = array(
+    'callback' => 'drush_permissions_api_role_create',
     'description' => dt('Create a role.'),
     'arguments' => array(
       'role' => dt('The name of the role you are creating.'),
     ),
     'examples' => array(
-      'drush perm-create Admin' => dt('Create Admin role.'),
+      'drush role-create Admin' => dt('Create Admin role.'),
     ),
   );
 
+  $items['role-delete'] = array(
+    'callback' => 'drush_permissions_api_role_delete',
+    'description' => dt('Delete a role.'),
+    'arguments' => array(
+      'role' => dt('The name of the role you are deleting.'),
+    ),
+    'examples' => array(
+      'drush role-delete Admin' => dt('Delete Admin role.'),
+    ),
+  );
+
   $items['perm-list'] = array(
     'callback' => 'drush_permissions_api_perm_list',
     'description' => dt('List permissions for a role.'),
@@ -168,10 +181,18 @@
   }
 }
 
-function drush_permissions_api_perm_create() {
+function drush_permissions_api_role_create() {
   $args = func_get_args();
   foreach($args as $role) {
     permissions_create_role($role);
     drush_print(dt('Role !role created.', array('!role' => $role)));
   }
 }
+
+function drush_permissions_api_role_delete() {
+  $args = func_get_args();
+  foreach ($args as $role) {
+    permissions_delete_role($role);
+    drush_print(dt('Role !role deleted.', array('!role' => $role)));
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
Index: permissions_api/permissions_api.module
===================================================================
--- permissions_api/permissions_api.module	(revision 18883)
+++ permissions_api/permissions_api.module	(working copy)
@@ -329,6 +329,29 @@
 }
 
 /**
+ * Helper function to delete a role from the database.
+ * 
+ * @param $role_name
+ *   String representing the name of the role to be deleted,  e.g. 'site administrator'.
+ * @return
+ *   Returns either an object representing the newly created (or previously existing) role, or FALSE if there was an error
+ */
+function permissions_delete_role($role_name) {
+  // Look up the role to see if it exists already
+  $role = permissions_get_role($role_name);
+  if ($role) {
+    db_query('DELETE FROM {role} WHERE rid = %d', $role->rid);
+    db_query('DELETE FROM {permission} WHERE rid = %d', $role->rid);
+    // Update the users who have this role set:
+    db_query('DELETE FROM {users_roles} WHERE rid = %d', $role->rid);
+    watchdog('permissions_api', 'permissions_delete_role: role %rolename deleted', array('%rolename' => $role->name), WATCHDOG_NOTICE);
+    return $role;
+  }
+  watchdog('permissions_api', 'permissions_delete_role: role %rolename not found', array('%rolename' => $role_name), WATCHDOG_WARNING);
+  return FALSE;
+}
+
+/**
  * This function allows a role to inherit either all the permissions of another role
  * 
  * @param