Judge Puts Arkansas Executions on Hold

A judge in Arkansas has granted a request by death row inmates to block any executions until the Legislature changes the state's law governing how inmates are put to death.

Judge Wendell Griffen said Friday that the law failed to define procedures and training for correction department staff who would administer lethal injections. Also, Griffen ruled that the current law gives too much latitude to the correction department director, who would have to choose the type of barbiturate to be used in executions.

Arkansas has no scheduled executions and hasn't executed an inmate since 2005.

The group of death row inmates filed suit over Arkansas' execution law passed last year by the Legislature. The inmates claimed the new law gave too much power to the Arkansas Department of Correction.