The Oklahoman reports, "American Civil Liberties Union, media file response in federal execution lawsuit," by Graham Lee Brewer.
Media witnesses to executions should be allowed to view the entire process, including the insertion of the IV and any complications, members of the media said in a Tuesday court filing.
Members of the media, along with the national and state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, brought a lawsuit against the state in August, asking a federal judge to prohibit the state from conducting any future executions in the same manner used to kill Clayton Lockett in April.
And:
In a motion filed Tuesday in federal court in Oklahoma City, the ACLU and media members asked for a ruling on the case by the end of the month. The motion comes just days after the state Corrections Department unveiled its new execution protocol, which reduces the number of media witnesses to executions from 12 to five and states members of the press will be briefed before the procedure to explain there may be portions of the process they are not allowed to witness.
Lee Rowland, ACLU staff attorney, said the updated protocol only exacerbates the constitutional concerns raised by Lockett’s problematic execution. Rowland said there is still time for the state to implement the ACLU’s requested changes to protocol in time for two executions scheduled for mid-November.
"News Organizations Seek Halt To Oklahoma Execution Plans," is the AP report, via KWTV-TV.
Attorneys for two news organizations suing Oklahoma prison officials for preventing reporters from viewing portions of an execution that went awry in the spring are asking a federal judge to stop new state execution protocols from going into effect.
Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion Tuesday in federal court asking a judge to order prison officials to give the media more access to witness an execution.
The plaintiffs in the case include The Oklahoma Observer and Guardian US newspapers.
"Oklahoma Prison Officials Unveil New Death Chamber," is also from Associated Press, via KOTV-TV.
Oklahoma prison officials are letting the public get its first look at the newly renovated death chamber inside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.
The Department of Corrections is allowing members of the media inside the prison's maximum-security H-unit on Thursday to see the new room.
Prison officials have completely rebuilt the death chamber and adjacent viewing rooms to give executioners more room. They've also ordered backup medical equipment and developed new protocols for carrying out executions since a lethal injection went awry in the spring.
"U.S. Supreme Court rejects final appeal of Oklahoma death row inmate," is by Chris Casteel of the Washington Bureau of the Oklahoman.
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected the final appeal of Oklahoma death row inmate Benjamin Cole, who was convicted of killing his infant daughter in 2002.
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt will now request that the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals set an execution date for Cole, a spokesman for Pruitt said.
Earlier coverage from Oklahoma begins at the link.
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