US Circuit Court Halts Execution Of Two Oklahoma Death Row Inmates - Court Documents

�WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th October, 2021) The US 10th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to halt the execution of two Oklahoma death row inmates while a lawsuit challenging the state's death penalty plan is adjudicated, the court said in an opinion published Wednesday.

"Appellants have requested a stay of execution pending the adjudication of this appeal. To accomplish that purpose and in aid of our jurisdiction, we partially grant the motion and stay the executions of John Grant, currently scheduled for October 28, 2021,and of Julius Jones, currently scheduled for November 18, 2021," the court wrote in its majority opinion.

Grant and Jones are part of a lawsuit being filed against the state of Oklahoma for their death penalty policy, in particular, challenging their use of the drug midazolam as an effective way to reduce pain for the necessary length of time during executions.

The two death row inmates were dropped from the lawsuit by US District Judge Stephen Friot, who is set to hear the lawsuit at trial in February. The state of Oklahoma then scheduled execution dates for Grant and Jones, which was set for Thursday evening for Grant.

One of the three circuit court judges, Chief Judge Timothy Tymkovich, wrote a dissenting opinion in which he argued against the stay of execution, saying that Grant and Jones failed to demonstrate a likelihood that they could satisfy legal requirements for a successful appeal of their case.

The state of Oklahoma is still able to appeal the stay of execution to the US Supreme Court, who would issue a final ruling in the case.