Court ruling sets stage for lethal injection battle

THE US Supreme Court opened the door yesterday to new constitutional challenges to lethal injection, the method used by most states and the federal government to execute death row inmates.

In an unanimous decision, the court allowed those condemned to die to make last-minute claims that the chemicals used are too painful — and therefore amount to cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment.

Justices, in a separate 5-3 ruling, also made it easier for death row inmates to challenge their convictions with new evidence.