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Tennessee bans lethal injection | Tennessee bans lethal injection |
(40 minutes later) | |
A judge in Tennessee has ruled the state's method of executing prisoners by lethal injection is illegal because it is a cruel and unusual punishment. | A judge in Tennessee has ruled the state's method of executing prisoners by lethal injection is illegal because it is a cruel and unusual punishment. |
Federal judge Aleta Trauger said inmates were not properly anesthetised before the injection was administered. | Federal judge Aleta Trauger said inmates were not properly anesthetised before the injection was administered. |
This presented a "substantial risk of unnecessary pain" to inmates and violated their constitutional rights. | This presented a "substantial risk of unnecessary pain" to inmates and violated their constitutional rights. |
Tennessee is among 11 states in which executions have been postponed or blocked over concerns about injections. | Tennessee is among 11 states in which executions have been postponed or blocked over concerns about injections. |
STATES WHERE EXECUTIONS HAVE BEEN BLOCKED OR POSTPONED FloridaMissouriMarylandCaliforniaOhioDelawareTennesseeTexasArkansasSouth DakotaNorth Carolina Source: Death Penalty Information Centre | |
Judge Trauger was presiding over the case of Edward Jerome Harbison, due to be executed next week for murdering a woman in 1983. | Judge Trauger was presiding over the case of Edward Jerome Harbison, due to be executed next week for murdering a woman in 1983. |
Tennessee reviewed its lethal injection procedures in April, but the judge said by failing to safeguard prisoners against pain, the new protocol could "result in a terrifying, excruciating death". | Tennessee reviewed its lethal injection procedures in April, but the judge said by failing to safeguard prisoners against pain, the new protocol could "result in a terrifying, excruciating death". |
Harbison could be legally executed once the state adopted a valid method of execution, she said. | Harbison could be legally executed once the state adopted a valid method of execution, she said. |
The state attorney's office is said to be considering whether to appeal against the ruling. | The state attorney's office is said to be considering whether to appeal against the ruling. |
Under review | Under review |
Lethal injection is the main method of judicial execution in the US. | Lethal injection is the main method of judicial execution in the US. |
Florida suspended all lethal injections following the botched execution of Angel Nieves Dias. | Florida suspended all lethal injections following the botched execution of Angel Nieves Dias. |
An autopsy showed the death row inmate took close to 35 minutes to die, apparently in great pain, after the first injections were administered wrongly. | An autopsy showed the death row inmate took close to 35 minutes to die, apparently in great pain, after the first injections were administered wrongly. |
New protocols have been issued, and the state's governor has since signed a death warrant for a death row prisoner. | New protocols have been issued, and the state's governor has since signed a death warrant for a death row prisoner. |
The governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, also ordered a complete review of the state's death penalty programme following a court ruling there. | The governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, also ordered a complete review of the state's death penalty programme following a court ruling there. |
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