Lawyers seek to block today
Attorneys for Jamaal Howard have asked a Texas judge to postpone his lethal-injection execution, scheduled for Wednesday. They point to last week’s failed execution attempt in Tennessee involving Christa Pike.
The lawyers say Texas plans to use pentobarbital, the same drug used in Pike’s case, and argue that the state’s supply may have deteriorated. Pike’s attorneys have reported that she remains in critical medical care and that her recovery outlook is uncertain.
Howard, 46, was convicted of killing convenience store clerk Vickie Swartout during a robbery in 2000. Trial evidence included store video showing him shooting her. Court records say he took cash and cigarettes.
Howard also has an appeal pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. His attorneys say a Texas attorney general decision about releasing information is not expected until after Wednesday, limiting his ability to challenge it beforehand.
Texas has carried out six executions this year, with two more scheduled after Howard’s. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has stopped the state’s only remaining execution for the year.
Key points
- Howard’s attorneys cite concerns about pentobarbital after Christa Pike’s failed execution attempt in Tennessee.
- Howard was convicted in the 2000 killing of Vickie Swartout during a store robbery.
- A Supreme Court appeal is pending, but Wednesday’s execution remains scheduled.