United States Eighth Circuit

In a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 action challenging the manner in which Missouri's written lethal injection protocol might be implemented in future executions, dismissal of the action is affirmed where the complaint made no factual allegations suggesting any current or prospective member of Missouri's execution team would intentionally or unintentionally deviate from or ignore the written protocol.

Appellate Information

• Decided 11/10/2009
• Published 11/10/2009

Judges

• RILEY, Circuit Judge., Before RILEY, SMITH, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Eighth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Matthew S. Hellman, Jenner & Block LLP, Washington, DC, argued, for appellants., Mark J. Stien, David Elbaum, John C. Anderson, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, NY, John K. Power, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP, Kansas City, for appellant Reginald Clemons., Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, Columbus, MS, Jennifer Herndon, Florissant, MO, for appellant Richard D. Clay., Michael J. Gorla, St. Louis, MO, for appellant Jeffery Ferguson., Jennifer Herndon, Florissant, MO, for appellant Roderick Nunley., Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., Matthew S. Hellman, Ginger D. Anders, Carrie F. Apfel, Jenner & Block LLP, Washington, DC, for appellant Michael Taylor., Christoper E. McGraugh, Leritz Plunkert & Bruning, P.C., St. Louis, MO, for appellant Martin Link., Eric W. Butts, St. Louis, MO, for appellants Mark Christeson and William Rouson., John W. Simon, Constitutional Advocacy, LLC, St. Louis, MO, for appellants John Charles Middleton and Russell Earl Bucklew., Cheryl A. Pilate, Rebecca L. Kurz, Morgan Pilate LLC, Olathe, KS, Jeremy S. Weis, Berkowitz Oliver Williams Shaw & Eisenbrandt LLP, Kansas City, MO, for appellant Earl Ringo, Jr.


• For Appellees:
  
• James R. Layton, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jefferson City, MO, argued (Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon, Atty. Gen., Michael Pritchett, Stephen D. Hawke, Asst. Attys. Gen., on the brief), for appellees.