Condemned inmate seeks info on recent Alabama executions
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A condemned Alabama inmate is asking a judge to force the state to turn over records from recent executions, including one where the inmate coughed for the first 13 minutes of the procedure.
Lawyers for Tommy Arthur say the state is violating open records law by refusing to release the information.
Arthur's lawyer in a March 8 filing in Montgomery Circuit Court, asked a judge to order the state to turn over the execution logs.
Alabama is seeking to put Arthur to death for his conviction in a 1983 murder-for-hire.
Arthur has been on death row for 30 years and has had seven execution dates postponed.
Ronald Smith repeatedly coughed and appeared to move slightly after two consciousness tests as he was being put to death in December.
Smith's lawyers said he was not anesthetized. The state has said the witness reports were exaggerated.