Virginia's method of lethal injection upheld
Court Alerts
A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld Virginia's method of executing inmates by lethal injection, ruling that it prevents them from experiencing excruciating pain.
In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected condemned inmate Christopher Scott Emmett's argument that Virginia's procedure was unconstitutional.
Emmett's lawyers claimed the procedure risks substantial harm because it does not allow for a second dose of anesthesia to make sure an inmate is unconscious before paralyzing and heart-stopping drugs are injected.
The appeals court said there is no evidence that the first dose of anesthesia has ever failed to render an inmate unconscious.
The ruling came on the day another Virginia inmate — Kent Jermaine Jackson — was executed by lethal injection for killing his 79-year-old neighbor. The 26-year-old Jackson, sentenced to death for the 2000 killing of Beulah Mae Kaiser, was pronounced dead at 9:18 p.m.
Emmett is scheduled to be executed July 24 for the 2001 bludgeoning death of a co-worker in Danville.
The appeals court said Virginia's protocol for administering the three-drug concoction is "largely identical" to that of Kentucky, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in April.
Related listings
-
Court keeps cell tower backup rules on hold
Court Alerts 07/09/2008More than a year after they were introduced, federal rules intended to keep cell phone towers operating during natural disasters remain in limbo.A federal appeals court on Tuesday put off deciding on the wireless industry's challenge to the regulatio...
-
Special court for vets addresses more than crime
Court Alerts 07/06/2008The first clue that the Tuesday afternoon session in Part 4 of Buffalo City Court is not like other criminal proceedings comes just before it starts.Judge Robert Russell steps down from his bench and from the aloofness of his black robe. He walks int...
-
NYC crane inspector pleads not guilty
Court Alerts 07/03/2008A former inspector accused of lying about examining a crane that later collapsed in midtown Manhattan and killed seven people has pleaded not guilty in a New York City court.Edward Marquette entered the plea at his arraignment in state Supreme Court ...
New Rochelle, New York Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP, in New Rochelle, New York, immediately. We can answer all your questions and work with you to determine if you have the grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. The attorneys at our firm are determined to resolve even the most difficult of cases. We will work closely with you to determine the best course of action to get your claim or case resolved in the most efficient way possible. We will fight for your right to compensation! No one should have to suffer a financial burden from the result of another person’s carelessness. The attorneys at Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP will aggressively fight to ensure that justice is served on your behalf.