Arkansas' Supreme Court halted two executions hours before they were scheduled to take place Monday, but will move forward with others.
In a 4-3 decision, Arkansas' highest court stayed the executions of two death-row inmates. In a separate decision, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a decision made over the weekend by a federal district judge that halted a total of eight executions over an 11-day period.
The legal fight in Arkansas follows that of other states, including Arizona and Oklahoma, where critics argue midazolam, the sedative used in lethal injections, does not put a person in a deep enough state of unconsciousness.
Arkansas said it would go ahead with its plans to execute the remaining six inmates, before its supply of midazolam expires at the end of April.
Attorneys for the eight are likely to appeal the federal court's decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
