All five justices agreed with at least part of the ruling, opening the door to restart executions in a state that hasn’t put an inmate to death since 2011
This undated photo provided by the South Carolina Department of Corrections shows the state's death chamber in Columbia, S.C., including the electric chair, right, and a firing squad chair, left.The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the state’s death penalty, which now includes a firing squad as well as lethal injection and the electric chair, is legal.
As many as eight inmates may be out of traditional appeals. It is unclear when executions could restart or whether lawyers for death row inmates can appeal the ruling. South Carolina hasn’t performed an execution since 2011. The state’s supplies of drugs for lethal injections expired and no pharmaceutical companies would sell more if they could be publicly identified.
The Supreme Court allowed the inmates to add arguments that the shield law was too secret by not releasing the potency, purity and stabilization of lethal injection drugs. But lawyers for the inmates asked the justices to agree with Circuit Judge Jocelyn Newman who stopped executions with the electric chair or firing squad.
Too weak, and inmates may suffer without dying. Too strong, and the drug molecules can form tiny clumps that would cause intense pain when injected, according to court papers.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
U.S. Supreme Court sends Trump immunity case back to lower courtFormer U.S. president Donald Trump walks to speak to the press at the end of the day during his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 7, 2024 in New York City.
Read more »
Supreme Court Sends Latest New York Gun Case Back to Appeals Court for a Re-DoCourt kicks case finding New York concealed carry statute partially valid back to the Second Circuit in light of the recent SCOTUS Rahimi opinion, which held that laws temporarily disarming individuals who pose a credible threat to others are...
Read more »
Texas Supreme Court Upholds State’s Ban on Gender-Affirming Care For ChildrenCourt: 'The Legislature made a permissible, rational policy choice to limit the types of available medical procedures for children.'
Read more »
Supreme Court confirms state is liable when Parliament enacts unconstitutional lawsThe Supreme Court of Canada seen in Ottawa during the summer.
Read more »
Supreme Court rules Canada, provinces owe First Nations billions for ‘egregious’ treaty violationsGovernment officials and several Northern Ontario First Nations have six months to reach a negotiated settlement regarding 150 years of treaty payments that never increased beyond $4 a person, decision says
Read more »
Crown made a 'mockery' of treaty with 2 First Nations for 150 years, Supreme Court rulesThe Supreme Court of Canada is seen, Wednesday, August 10, 2022 in Ottawa. The Supreme Court of Canada is set to rule Friday on an appeal by two men convicted of first-degree murder in a mass gang slaying of six people in Metro Vancouver more than 15 years ago.
Read more »