Lawyers claim last 2 Texas executions botched by old drugs - and Dallas killer should get a stay

Alleging the state of Texas botched the year's first two executions by using too-old drugs, lawyers for a death row inmate filed last-minute claims to halt a Thursday night death date for a Dallas man who killed his two daughters. A federal judge denied the claim just an hour before John Battaglia's scheduled execution.

The lawsuit comes on the heels of one execution where witnesses said the prisoner appeared to be jerking in pain, and another where the inmate said the drug burned.

"Ohh weee, I can feel that it does burn," Houston serial killer Anthony Shore said as the lethal dosage began coursing through his veins during his Jan. 18 execution, witnessed by a Chronicle reporter.

Less than two weeks later, William Rayford grimaced and twitched on the gurney before he died, witnesses said.

Read more: http://www.mrt.com/news/houston-texas/article/Lawyers-claim-last-2-Texas-executions-botched-by-12543974.php