COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) _ Nearly two dozen former corrections officers from across
the country have filed a court brief in support of a Missouri death row inmate’s
claim that his medical condition could cause an unconstitutionally cruel
execution.
Russell Bucklew was sentenced to death in 1997 for killing a southeast Missouri
man. He has been scheduled for execution twice but was granted a stay each time.
His case is before the Missouri Supreme Court.
Bucklew has a rare condition called cavernous hemangioma, which causes
blood-filled tumors in his neck and head.
The Columbia Tribune reports several briefs were filed on Bucklew’s
behalf, including one from 23 former corrections officers who turned death
penalty opponents. They say the high-risk execution places an unfair burden on
corrections workers involved in the process.
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