September 6, 2007

Arkansas

Justices Deny Nooner's Request To Stay Execution

The Associated Press

Thursday morning, the Arkansas Supreme Court rejected death row inmate
Terrick Nooner's attempt to stay his execution scheduled later this month.

The court denied Nooner's request to stay his Sept. 18 execution and his
request to hold an emergency hearing on a motion to disqualify all justices
from his proceedings. In the order, justices referred to the content of
Nooner's motion as "somewhat unclear."

Gov. Mike Beebe in July set an execution date for Nooner, convicted for
shooting a University of Arkansas at Little Rock student seven times during
a 1993 robbery. The Arkansas Board of Parole last month rejected Nooner's
plea for clemency.

Last month, a federal appeals court ruled that a request for mental health
professionals to examine Nooner should be reconsidered in court. A U.S.
District Court judge previously rejected the claim, saying Nooner already
filed an appeal of his sentence.

Lawyers for Nooner argued their request for the mental examinations was not
an appeal of his original conviction in Pulaski County court. The lawyers
say the request is an attempt to have performed examinations the Arkansas
Department of Correction has denied over the last year and a half.

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Source : The Associated Press

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