Alito Makes Surprise Ruling in Lethal Injection Case
Written for the web by C. Johnson, Internet News Producer
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Dan Adams' Report
A Supreme Court ruling over whether lethal injection is inhumane is giving hope to a California inmate currently appealing his execution on the same argument.
Prisoner Michael Morales (shown above), who is appealing his death sentence on the grounds lethal injection represents cruel and unusual punishment, may have some renewed hope tonight. The U.S. Supreme Court's newest justice, Samuel Alito, sided with a majority opinion to halt, at least temporarily, a Missouri inmate's appeal to stay his execution on the same grounds.
Morales is scheduled to die by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison on February 21. He was convicted of raping and killing 17-year-old Terri Winchell of Lodi in 1981. Morales is arguing death by lethal injection is inhumane.
"Clarence Ray Allen didn't die for 18 minutes after they administered the drugs," said Ben Weston, Morales' attorney. "If you hang somebody they're not going to stick around for 18 minutes. If you electrocute somebody it's not going to take 18 minutes."
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