[Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----ARKANSAS

[Rick Halperin]

April 24




ARKANSAS:

Arkansas Supreme Court rejects death row stays


The Arkansas Supreme Court has rejected requests for stays of execution from 
two inmates set to die in the nation's first double execution since 2000.

Jack Jones Jr. and Marcel Williams had asked the state's highest court to stop 
their executions, which are set for Monday night. Arkansas is trying to use a 
sedative that expires at the end of the month, and if the men don't receive 
lethal injections as scheduled their executions will be off indefinitely. The 
state has said it has no new source for midazolam.

In separate one-paragraph orders, justices said they would not reopen the men's 
cases and refused to issue stays of execution.

Jones is scheduled to die at 7 p.m., with Williams' execution set for 8:15 p.m.

A federal appeals court on Monday also rejected a stay request for Jones, while 
a stay request from Williams is still pending.

(source: Associated Press)