In a one-sentence order, the Supreme Court on Wednesday granted a stay of execution to three inmates bringing a challenge to Oklahoma’s use of the drug midazolam as a part of its lethal injection protocol.
There were no noted dissents to the order which said in part “it is hereby ordered that petitioners’ executions using midazolam are stayed pending final disposition of this case.”
One of the petitioners, Richard Glossip, was set to die tomorrow.
The court has agreed to hear arguments in the case which will most likely occur this spring.
Dale Baich, a lawyer for the inmates praised the ruling.
“We are grateful for this and we look forward to presenting our case,” he said.
It is unclear whether the state might move forward to execute the men using different drugs. A spokesman for the attorney general said to expect a statement this afternoon.
