LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The Latest on Arkansas’ planned execution of convicted murderer Jack Greene (all times local):
5:40 p.m.
Arkansas’ attorney general won’t fight the state Supreme Court’s decision to halt this week’s planned execution of a convicted murderer.
A spokesman for Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said Tuesday she won’t ask the state Supreme Court to reconsider the emergency stay granted to Jack Greene, and won’t take the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court. The state had planned to execute Greene on Thursday night before justices issued the stay.
Greene was sentenced to die for the 1991 death of Sidney Burnett, who was beaten with a can of hominy, stabbed and shot.
Greene’s attorneys had asked for the stay so justices could review a lower court’s decision to dismiss his challenge of a state law that gives Arkansas’ top prison official the authority to determine whether he is competent.
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4:25 p.m.
The Arkansas Supreme Court has halted this week’s planned execution of an inmate whose attorneys say suffers from psychotic delusions.
Justices on Tuesday granted the request for an emergency stay for Jack Greene, who had been scheduled to be executed Thursday night. Greene, who’s from North Carolina, was sentenced to die for the 1991 death of Sidney Burnett, who was beaten with a can of hominy, stabbed and shot.
Greene’s attorneys had asked for the stay so justices could review a lower court’s decision to dismiss his challenge of a state law that gives Arkansas’ top prison official the authority to determine whether he is competent.
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3:20 p.m.
An Arkansas judge has ordered the state to release more information about one of the drugs it plans to use to put an inmate to death this week.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce gave the state Department of Correction until 4 p.m. Tuesday to release a copy of the package insert for its supply of midazolam to an attorney who had sued for the information. The sedative is one of three drugs Arkansas uses for lethal injections. Pierce said he’ll hold a hearing Wednesday on what information should be withheld from the label.
The state Supreme Court ruled last week that the name of the drugmaker can’t be kept secret under an Arkansas law that keeps the source of the state’s lethal injection drugs secret. Justices sent the case back to Pierce to determine what other information should be withheld.
Arkansas plans to execute Jack Greene on Thursday for the 1991 slaying of Sidney Burnett.
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11:45 a.m.
Arkansas’ attorney general says an inmate set to die this week has no right to a stay of execution.
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge on Tuesday asked the state Supreme Court to reject a plea from Jack Greene, who’s scheduled to be executed Thursday night. Greene’s attorneys say justices should halt the execution and review a lower court’s decision to dismiss his challenge of a state law that gives Arkansas’ top prison official the authority to determine whether he is competent.
Greene’s attorneys say the inmate suffers from delusions. Greene, who’s from North Carolina, was sentenced to die for the 1991 death of Sidney Burnett, who was beaten with a can of hominy, stabbed and shot.
Greene’s execution would be Arkansas’ first since it put four men to death in April.
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