Alabama Death Row Inmate Seeks Appeals Court Intervention to Halt Scheduled Execution

An Alabama death row inmate, James Barber, has filed a motion with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to block his scheduled execution, arguing that the state has not made sufficient improvements to its capital punishment system following problems with previous lethal injections. Barber's attorneys claim that the Alabama Department of Corrections had difficulty establishing intravenous lines in previous cases. Barber, who has a high body mass index, argues that he faces a substantial risk of severe harm during a failed lethal injection. He, along with two other inmates, has requested execution by nitrogen gas instead. The court held a hearing on Monday, and a ruling is pending.