Opting for death by gas

WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear a Missouri murderer’s bid to avoid execution by lethal injection because it might rupture bloodfilled tumours on his body due to a rare ailment, and he has suggested being put to death by gas.

Lawyers for Russell Bucklew, 49, argued that because of a congenital ailment called cavernous hemangioma the lethal injection could cause undue agony in violation of the US Constitution’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

The high court on March 20 issued a stay of execution just moments before Bucklew was to be executed.