TULSA, Okla. — Arguments began in U.S. District Court on Monday as the court looked into Oklahoma's execution methods.
The court will hear testimonies from death row prisoners on why Oklahoma's methods for execution is unconstitutional and violates the 8th Amendment.
The 8th Amendment currently states "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."
Attorneys for the inmates on the lawsuit are calling the 3-drug lethal injection cocktail "cruel" and "unusual punishment."
The plaintiffs will also try to prove that the state has other execution methods that would reduce the risk of serious pain and undue suffering.
Oklahoma is the only state in the nation that allows more than two methods for execution.
Lethal injection is the current primary method, but nitrogen hypoxia, electrocution, or a firing squad can be used if earlier methods are unavailable or found to be unconstitutional.
State leaders put executions on hold after the botched executions of Charles Warner and Clayton Lockett in 2014 and 2015. In both cases, the execution process was reviewed by the state's lethal injection process and later resumed after new protocols were put into place.
At this time, only one death row inmate is currently scheduled for execution.
James Allen Coddington had been scheduled for execution on March 10 but received a temporary stay until the federal trial is resolved.
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