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10 May 2018 8:02pm

U.S. Supreme Court to hear murder convict's plea against execution by lethal injection

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Washington: A 49 year old murder convict Russell Bucklew’s plea for hearing against execution by lethal injection and instead being put to death by gas was admitted by the U.S. top court.

He argued that he suffers from a rare congenital condition called cavernous hemangioma which causes eruption of blood-filled tumors on his body which might get ruptured in case of  lethal injection. His lawyers argued that this could cause undue agony to their client. This will be in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.    

Earlier the high court on March 20 stayed execution moments before Bucklew was scheduled for execution as he won 5-4 vote against his execution and right to appeal.

Bucklew was convicted of murdering Michael Sanders in 1996 in Missouri. Sanders was living was living with Bucklew’s former girlfriend Stephanie Ray. He shot dead Sanders at his trailer home, then kidnapped and raped Ray. He further shot Sanders’ 6-year-old son and wounded a police officer before being apprehended, according to court papers.

In Missouri, execution is legally authorised by either lethal injection or lethal gas but in practice it is done by lethal injection only.

Bucklew’s case has brought forward the problem of execution being faced by U.S. courts. Recently in Alabama a murder convict’s execution was stayed as the convict had terminal cancer and even after trying for two hours the medical personnel could not find intravenous line required to inject lethal injection.

The U.S Supreme Court last gave a decision on death penalty procedures in 2015, when it upheld the use of a drug employed by Oklahoma in its lethal injections. The court stated that convicts can challenge procedure only if they have suggestions on alternative execution methods.


Tagged: U.S Supreme Court Missouri Albama
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