Death penalty in Mississippi temporarily frozen, due to federal judge's ruling
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A federal judge’s ruling on Tuesday has put a freeze, for now, on the use of the death penalty in Mississippi.
In a temporary restraining order, Judge Henry Wingate barred state officials from using either pentobarbital or midazolam, drugs that cause a person to become unconscious, reports the Associated Press.
No written copy was immediately available, but attorney Jim Craig, who represents two inmates in litigation against the state, said Wingate issued a verbal order in a phone conference with lawyers on Tuesday.
State officials plan to seek a reversal from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
“We are extremely disappointed that the federal court has frustrated the state of Mississippi’s lawful duty to enforce its criminal sentence of capital punishment,” said state attorney general Jim Hood in a written statement.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “SCOTUS upholds use of lethal-injection drug; two justices want death penalty re-examined”
