Ark. Supreme Court declines to hear execution suit (UALR Public Radio) - Arkansas Supreme Court justices declined Thursday to speed up a lawsuit over the state's lethal injection procedures, in effect stopping an execution scheduled for next week.

Death-row inmate Frank Williams Jr. was scheduled to be executed Tuesday, but a Pulaksi County judge's ruling in his case over the state's lethal injection policies put the procedure on a legal hold. The state attorney general's office appealed to justices to hold an expedited hearing to remove the barrier.

In a single-page order Thursday, justices denied the request for a speedy hearing and refused a request by Williams' lawyers to send the case to the Arkansas Court of Appeals instead. Associate Justice Tom Glaze recused from the case.

Matt DeCample, a spokesman for Gov. Mike Beebe, said he had just heard of the ruling and had no immediate comment. Earlier Thursday, Beebe told The Associated Press if the legal issues surrounding Williams' execution were not resolved by Friday afternoon, he'd postpone it.

Julie Brain, a federal public defender representing Williams, did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday.

Gabe Holmstrom, a spokesman for the state attorney general's office, said the ruling stopped Williams' planned execution. He said there were no plans to take the case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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