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Oklahoma agrees to stay of Charles Warner's execution Oklahoma agrees to stay of Charles Warner's execution
(35 minutes later)
The attorney general of Oklahoma has agreed to a six-month stay of execution for a man who had been scheduled to die just hours after another prisoner suffered a botched execution last week. The attorney general of Oklahoma has agreed to a six-month stay of execution for a man who had been scheduled to die hours after officials botched the execution of another inmate last week.
Convicted killer Charles Warner's death will be postponed while the state investigates what went wrong. If a judge agrees, Charles Warner's death will be postponed while the state investigates what went wrong.
Last week Clayton Lockett died of a heart attack after the executioners improperly injected the lethal drugs. Last week, Clayton Lockett died of a heart attack after the executioners improperly injected the lethal drugs.
If a court agrees to the stay, Warner will be executed after 13 November. Governor Mary Fallin has ordered a review of the execution process.
Warner and Lockett were scheduled to be killed on 29 April in a rare double execution.Warner and Lockett were scheduled to be killed on 29 April in a rare double execution.
Lockett went first, but the prison officials tasked with the execution had difficulty finding a suitable vein to inject the drugs, ultimately choosing one in his groin. Lockett went first, but the prison officials tasked with carrying out the execution had difficulty finding a suitable arm vein in which to inject the drugs, ultimately choosing one in his groin.
After the first of three lethal drugs was injected, Lockett began writhing and mumbling. The second and third drugs were injected, but the execution was halted after a doctor in the death chamber discovered the vein had collapsed.After the first of three lethal drugs was injected, Lockett began writhing and mumbling. The second and third drugs were injected, but the execution was halted after a doctor in the death chamber discovered the vein had collapsed.
Officials attempted to revive Lockett, but he died of a heart attack.Officials attempted to revive Lockett, but he died of a heart attack.
Warner's execution was postponed.Warner's execution was postponed.
'Significant problems''Significant problems'
The following day Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin ordered an "independent review" of the state's execution process and postponed Warner's execution for two weeks. The following day Ms Fallin ordered an "independent review" of the state's execution process and postponed Warner's execution for two weeks.
His lawyers subsequently asked for a six-month stay, and Attorney General Scott Pruitt's office on Thursday filed papers with an Oklahoma court saying the state did not object.His lawyers subsequently asked for a six-month stay, and Attorney General Scott Pruitt's office on Thursday filed papers with an Oklahoma court saying the state did not object.
US President Barack Obama denounced the blotched execution as "deeply troubling" and called for a national review of the death penalty.US President Barack Obama denounced the blotched execution as "deeply troubling" and called for a national review of the death penalty.
"This situation in Oklahoma I think just highlights some of the significant problems," Mr Obama told reporters on 2 May."This situation in Oklahoma I think just highlights some of the significant problems," Mr Obama told reporters on 2 May.
Americans should "ask ourselves some difficult and profound questions around these issues", he added.Americans should "ask ourselves some difficult and profound questions around these issues", he added.
The problems surrounding Lockett's execution come amid a wider debate over lethal injection and the death penalty and whether its use violates the US constitution's protections against "cruel and unusual punishments".The problems surrounding Lockett's execution come amid a wider debate over lethal injection and the death penalty and whether its use violates the US constitution's protections against "cruel and unusual punishments".
In particular, death penalty states are having increasing trouble obtaining the drugs for lethal injections, as European pharmaceutical firms which manufacture them have refused to supply them for executions.In particular, death penalty states are having increasing trouble obtaining the drugs for lethal injections, as European pharmaceutical firms which manufacture them have refused to supply them for executions.
Lockett was sentenced to death for the 1999 shooting of a 19-year-old woman. Warner was convicted for the 1997 murder and rape of an 11-month-old girl.Lockett was sentenced to death for the 1999 shooting of a 19-year-old woman. Warner was convicted for the 1997 murder and rape of an 11-month-old girl.