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U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Greenlight Arkansas Execution

An Arkansas inmate set to die by lethal injection Monday remains alive after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against lifting a stay of execution.

An Arkansas inmate set to die by lethal injection Monday remains alive after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against lifting a stay of execution.

Convicted murderer Don Davis had been in a holding cell at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County as legal battles loomed for hours that day over whether he would be granted additional time to fight death. 

In a U.S. Supreme Court ruling shortly before midnight, Justice Samuel Alito declined to lift the stay. He referred the case to the full Supreme Court.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he was "disappointed in this delay for the victim's family," though he noted that no stays currently block executions for five other condemned inmates scheduled to die before the month's end. 

"While this has been an exhausting day for all involved, tomorrow we will continue to fight back on last minute appeals and efforts to block justice for the victims’ families,” Hutchinson said in a statement.

 Another inmate, Bruce Ward, was also set to die Monday. An effort from Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge to overturn his stay was rejected by the state Supreme Court.

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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