TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 1, 2019
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that Missouri can give a lethal injection to a convicted murderer who says his rare medical condition means he would probably choke on his own blood, Bloomberg reports. Writing for the court, Justice Neil Gorsuch said death-row inmates seeking to avoid lethal injection must show a "feasible, readily implemented" alternative method of execution. The majority rejected inmate Russell Bucklew’s suggestion that Missouri instead use a lethal dose of nitrogen. Gorsuch said that method had never been tried and in any event might not reduce Bucklew’s risk of suffering.