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Texas Executions at Standstill

Case before US Supreme Court used to stay death order

By Will McCahill, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 3, 2007 1:44 PM CDT

(Newser) – As the US Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of lethal-injection methods, a Texas appeals court yesterday stayed an execution order scheduled to be carried out tonight—bringing the country's busiest death row to a standstill. The Supreme Court is looking at a case brought by death-row inmates in Kentucky who say the injection constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

Heliberto Chi had been sentenced to death in the 2001 killing of a store manager. "I'm grateful there's some measure of common sense descending on the great state of Texas," said Wes Ball, Chi's attorney. The appeals court gave prosecutors 30 days to address concerns about the injection process. Chi would have been the 27th inmate executed this year.

Roberto Flores-Bermudez, Ambassador of Honduras, right, speaks during a news conference Friday, Sept. 28, 2007, in Austin, Texas. On the left is Houston attorney Terence O'Rourke, representing Honduras.... (Associated Press)

Dave Atwood, right, founder of Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, waits in the rain with Kelly Epstein to protest the scheduled execution of Johnny Ray Conner, Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007 at the... (Associated Press)

This photo released Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007, by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows death row inmate Heliberto Chi who is scheduled for execution at the Texas prison in Huntsville, Wednesday,... (Associated Press)

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Texas Executions at Standstill

Case before US Supreme Court used to stay death order

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Condemned Man Spared During Last Meal

Murder convict Hank Skinner granted last-minute reprieve

Court Skeptical of Challenge to Lethal Injection

Justices cite low chance of painful death, lack of better option

Executions Drop to 13-Year Low

42 people put to death in '07; further decline could follow Court ruling

Supreme Court Stops Another Execution

Justices halt lethal injection in Florida to review constitutionality

A Death Penalty Moratorium?

Not so fast: the Supreme Court is sending mixed messages

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Case before US Supreme Court used to stay death order

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Related links

lethal injection • Texas capital punishment • constitutionality

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

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More Newser Stories

Condemned Man Spared During Last Meal

Murder convict Hank Skinner granted last-minute reprieve

Court Skeptical of Challenge to Lethal Injection

Justices cite low chance of painful death, lack of better option

Executions Drop to 13-Year Low

42 people put to death in '07; further decline could follow Court ruling

Supreme Court Stops Another Execution

Justices halt lethal injection in Florida to review constitutionality

A Death Penalty Moratorium?

Not so fast: the Supreme Court is sending mixed messages

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Newser By Users

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