While the state of Arkansas continues with its plans to execute Kenneth Williams by lethal injection tonight, his lawyers are trying to obtain a stay by arguing that they have “new and compelling evidence” that because of his medical problems, to execute him would cause “unconstitutional pain and suffering.”
Williams suffers from organic brain damage, lupus, and has the sickle cell trait.
His lawyers say the complaint they filed today in Pulaski Circuit Court raises issues pertaining to his medical condition as well as what they call “the disturbing event at this week’s executions.” The complaint includes eyewitness accounts of the previous three executions in the past seven days where it appeared that the inmates were suffering during the procedure.