Alabama Death Row Inmate James Barber Faces Imminent Execution After Appeals Court Ruling

Alabama plans to execute death row inmate James Barber despite his claim that lethal injection could result in cruel and unusual punishment. Barber argued for an alternative execution method, nitrogen hypoxia, but the state has yet to finalize its protocols. The federal appeals court upheld the decision not to halt his execution, citing the Department of Corrections' newly-implemented changes to address issues with the lethal injection protocol. Barber's attorneys argued that his elevated body mass index makes it difficult to access his veins, increasing the risk of a failed lethal injection.