Alabama Inmate Seeks Execution Block, Citing State's Troubled Past

Attorneys for Alabama death row inmate James Barber have asked a federal appeals court to block his upcoming execution, citing the state's history of troubled lethal injections. The state seeks to resume executions after a pause, during which two lethal injections were called off due to difficulties with IV insertion. Advocacy groups claim a botched execution occurred after a lengthy delay. The court heard arguments but did not indicate when they will rule. The state plans to use a new IV team, but Barber's attorney argues that this does not solve the problem. Barber was convicted of the 2001 beating death of Dorothy Epps and is scheduled to receive a lethal injection on Thursday.