Lawyers say Ark. execution method 'dangerous'

Tools

Lawyers say Ark. execution method 'dangerous'

By KSPR News

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - Lawyers for four Arkansas death-row inmates say "botched" executions show that the state's lethal injection method remains dangerous and inadequate.

In a filing to U.S. District Court, federal public defender Julie Brain cites several executions when witnesses either heard condemned inmates groan or medical teams failed to properly start an intravenous line as proof of the method's danger. Because of these concerns, the filing urges a judge to allow the lawsuit by Don William Davis, Jack Harold Jones Jr., Terrick Nooner and Frank Williams Jr. to continue.

Only Williams now has an execution date, scheduled for September 9.

Dina Tyler, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Correction, dimissed the lawyers' claims, saying the the condemned feel nothing "beyond the stick of the needle."

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 500 Characters Left

Comments are moderated and will not appear on this story until after they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting.

KSPR News and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
More On Demand