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| Nevada man in 11th hour reprieve | Nevada man in 11th hour reprieve |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Nevada Supreme Court has postponed the execution of a murderer on the day he was due to die by lethal injection. | |
| The execution was suspended pending a decision from the US Supreme Court on the constitutionality of lethal injections. | |
| William Castillo, 34, was sentenced to death as punishment for the murder of an 86-year-old woman in 1995. | |
| If the Supreme Court decides against lethal injections then the method could be outlawed throughout the country. | If the Supreme Court decides against lethal injections then the method could be outlawed throughout the country. |
| Mr Castillo was found guilty in 1996 of the murder of Isabel Brendt, an 86-year-old Las Vegas teacher. | Mr Castillo was found guilty in 1996 of the murder of Isabel Brendt, an 86-year-old Las Vegas teacher. |
| He burgled Ms Brendt's house before beating her to death with a tyre lever and setting fire to her house. | He burgled Ms Brendt's house before beating her to death with a tyre lever and setting fire to her house. |
| Cruel and unusual? | Cruel and unusual? |
| His appeal is being mounted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a pressure group opposed to lethal injections. | His appeal is being mounted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a pressure group opposed to lethal injections. |
| The ACLU say that lethal injections contravene the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution, which bars "cruel and unusual punishment". | The ACLU say that lethal injections contravene the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution, which bars "cruel and unusual punishment". |
| LETHAL INJECTIONS Sodium pentothal - anaestheticPancuronium bromide - paralyses entire muscle systemPotassium chloride - stops the heartLethal injection has been used in all but one of 41 executions carried out in the US in 2007 End for lethal injection? | LETHAL INJECTIONS Sodium pentothal - anaestheticPancuronium bromide - paralyses entire muscle systemPotassium chloride - stops the heartLethal injection has been used in all but one of 41 executions carried out in the US in 2007 End for lethal injection? |
| During an execution by lethal injection, prisoners are given three drugs: firstly a sedative, then a drug to paralyse all muscles except the heart, and finally a drug to stop the heart and kill the prisoner. | During an execution by lethal injection, prisoners are given three drugs: firstly a sedative, then a drug to paralyse all muscles except the heart, and finally a drug to stop the heart and kill the prisoner. |
| Campaigners argue that the use of the sedative makes it impossible to determine whether or not the prisoner is suffering pain. | Campaigners argue that the use of the sedative makes it impossible to determine whether or not the prisoner is suffering pain. |
| A US Supreme Court ruling on September 25 prompted a number of states to postpone scheduled lethal injections until the Court decides on a test case, which is being brought by two death row inmates from Kentucky. | A US Supreme Court ruling on September 25 prompted a number of states to postpone scheduled lethal injections until the Court decides on a test case, which is being brought by two death row inmates from Kentucky. |
| The Kentucky case is expected to be heard early in 2008. | The Kentucky case is expected to be heard early in 2008. |