Court Ruling May Halt Executions Indefinitely

Court Ruling May Halt Executions Indefinitely

Invoking the soverignty threatening ‘International law’, Heliberto Chi, who attempted to commit triple murder, is challenging lethal injection as cruel and unusual punishment. Of course, cruel and unusual punishment is forbidden in the Constitution. If he were to win his case, this would set a precedent that could bring the whole house of cards down on execution. If one of the most painless methods of execution can be deemed cruel, then what other method can’t be challenged?

Signaling an indefinite halt to executions in Texas, the state’s highest criminal appeals court late Tuesday stayed the lethal injection of a 28-year-old Honduran man who was scheduled to be put to death Wednesday…

Acting less than a week after it rejected another inmate’s appeal 5 to 4, the appeals court justices provided no breakdown of the vote and did not give any reasoning for their decision. But they directed the state’s director of criminal justice, Nathaniel Quarterman, not to execute Mr. Chi and gave Mr. Quarterman and Tim Curry, the district attorney of Tarrant County, where the crime had been committed, up to 30 days to respond to claims by Mr. Chi’s lawyers that the formulation and administration of chemicals used for lethal injections did not quickly and painlessly kill but paralyzed the condemned inmates while they painfully suffocated.

Houston attorney Terry O’Rourke has been hired by the Honduran government to make a last-minute appeal.
“They should have called the consulate in California and said we got your guy. We’re going to extradite him to Texas. The consulate could have made a decision there,” O’Rourke said.
Honduran officials are flying into Houston Thursday night to meet with O’Rourke.
On Friday, they will go to Austin for meetings with the governor’s staff and the board of pardons and paroles.
What they’re asking for is simple.
“Just don’t kill him in violation of international law. That’s all,” O’Rourke said.

This is the avenue to do away with all death sentences. It opens up a big can of worms, especially if it is successful.