The southern US state of Arkansas, rushing to execute several inmates before a lethal drug expires at the end of the month, has carried out the first of two executions scheduled for Monday, the attorney general said. Jack Jones was executed after the US Supreme Court rejected an 11th-hour request from his attorneys asking the justices to reconsider a procedural issue from his trial. Arkansas had planned to put eight convicted murderers to death in 11 days -- a record, had it been carried out -- but four have won reprieves.



More...