USA - Florida. Florida's Supreme Court put executions on hold

Florida's Supreme Court put executions on hold while the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether use of a controversial general anesthetic constitutes "cruel and unusual" punishment of condemned killers. The state Supreme Court stopped the execution of Jerry William Correll, scheduled for Feb. 26, because the U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to hear a challenge some Oklahoma inmates brought against use of midazolam hydrochloride as the 1st of 3 drugs used in lethal injections. Florida uses essentially the same formula, the court said in a 5-2 ruling. The Department of Corrections said 11 lethal injections have been carried out with midazolam in Florida since then. Florida courts have approved midazolam, but the nation's highest court agreed Jan. 23 to hear an appeal by 21 Oklahoma inmates in a case citing prolonged executions and signs of pain reported in that state, Arizona and Ohio. Correll, , was the only Florida inmate with an active death warrant.