In Tennessee, The Chattanoogan reports, "GOP Leaders Ask Governor To Join Fight For Lethal Injection."
House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower (R-Bristol) and House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada (R-Franklin) on Thursday asked Gov. Phil Bredesen to request the state attorney general to join as a “friend of the court” with the state of Kentucky in fighting to uphold lethal injection as a method to carry out the state’s death penalty law.
The House Republican leaders also asked Gov. Bredesen to “vigorously pursue” an appeal to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger’s decision that the current method of lethal injection used in Tennessee qualifies as “cruel and unusual punishment” and is unconstitutional.
The action came after the United States Supreme Court agreed to consider the constitutionality of lethal injection in the Kentucky case of Ralph Baze and Thom Bowling. Lethal injection is used to carry out the death sentence in 37 states, many of which are now on hold due to the court action. Similarly, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals case interrupted plans to carry out the death sentence of Edward Jerome Harbison based on Judge Trauger’s decision that lethal injection could “result in a terrifying, excruciating death.”
Nashville Scene has, "Let the Juice Flow, GOPers Say."
What took them so long? House Republican leaders waited two weeks to grandstand on the death penalty after federal District Judge Aleta Trauger ruled the state's method of lethal injection is unconstitutional.
In a letter to Gov. Phil Bredesen, House GOP Leader Jason Mumpower and Caucus Chairman Glen Casada are urging the state to appeal Trauger's decision and also to file a brief supporting the state of Kentucky in a similar case now before the Supreme Court. They say the state should electrocute any prisoners whose dates with death come up in the meantime. Under state law, they tell Bredesen, “you are authorized to carry out an execution by any constitutional method.”
In other states, stay requests are pending in Arizona and Florida. New execution dates have been set in Arkansas and Georgia.
Many observers will be watching to see what the state courts do, and if they refuse to stay lethal injection executions, whether the Supreme Court will do so. There is a general expectation that Baze has shut down lethal injection executions while the Court considers the case, but we will only know with certainty with some additional rulings.
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