# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 7- 18 48

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Mar cel W ay ne W il li am s

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er

- App el la nt

v.

W en dy Kelle y , Direc to r, Arka ns as Depa rtment o f Co rrec ti on , et al

.

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll ee

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Eas te rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s - P in e Bl uf f

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Su bm it te d: Apri l 2 4, 2 01 7 Fil ed : Ap ril 24 , 20 17 [Pu bl is he d]

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re WOL LMAN, LOKEN , and SHEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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PER CURI AM.

On Apr il 11
, 20 17
, Ark an sa s in m at e Mar cel W il li am s, who is sc he du le d to be

ex ecu te d on Apr il 24
, br ou gh t th is 42 U.S.C. § 19 83 act io n ch al le ng in g th e Ark an sa sle th al in

jecti o n e x e c u t io n pr ot oc ol

. The di st ric t co ur t de ni ed hi s m ot io n fo r a 1

pr el im in ary in

jun ct io n. W il li am s ap pe al s an d m ov es fo r a st ay of ex ecu ti on pe nd in g
ap pe al . W e d en y

th e m ot io n fo r st ay

.

In Apr il 20 15
, W il li am s joi ne d ot he r Ark an sa s pr is on ers in fil in g an act io n rai si ng a fed eral co ns ti tu ti on al ch al le ng e to th e rece nt ly ad op te d m et ho d of ex ecu ti on , th e m et ho d W il li a ms c h a ll en ge s in th is cas e. W he n th e St at e rem ov ed
, pl ai nt iff s di sm is se d wit ho ut p reju di ce an d refi le d in st at e co ur t, al le gi ng on ly vi ol at io ns of Ark an sa s la w. Afte r a y ear of li ti ga ti on , t he Su pr em e Co ur t o f Ark an sa s di sm is se d th e cl ai m th at t he m et ho d of ex ecu ti on co ns ti tu te d cru el or un us ua l pu ni sh m en t in vi ol at io n of th e Ark an sa s Co ns ti tu ti on

. Kell ey v. Jo hn so n, 4 9 6 S

. W. 3d 34 6, 35 7 ( A r k

. 2 01 6)
, cert

. de ni ed
, 13 7 S. Ct

. 10 67 (2 01 7)

. On Feb ru ary 27
, 20 17
, s i x d a ys aft er th e d e n i a l of cert io rari
, Ark an sa s Gov ern or Asa Hut ch in so n sc he du le d th e

ex ecu ti on s o f W il li am s an d s ev en ot he r de at h ro w pri so ne rs

.

On Mar c h 2 7
, W il li am s an d ei gh t ot he r in m at es se nt en ced to de at h fil ed an

a c t i o n al le gi ng th at th e m et ho d of ex ecu ti on vi ol at es th e Eig ht h Am en dm en t in a l l

cas es

. The di st ric t co ur t gr an te d st ay s of ex ecu ti on , bu t w e v a c at ed th e st ay s,

co nc lu di ng (i) th e pr is on ers un reas on ab ly de la y ed in br in gi ng th ei r fed eral cl ai m s, (ii ) th ey fai le d to sh ow a l ik el ih oo d of su cces s on th e m eri ts of th ei r cl ai m th at th e

ex ecu ti on pr ot oc ol was “ su re or v er y li kel y to cau se se rio us il ln es s an d ne ed le ss

su ffer in g,” Glo ss ip v. Gro ss , 13 5 S. Ct

. 27 26
, 27 37 (2 01 5)
, qu ot in g Baz e v. Ree s, 55 3 U.S. 35
, 50 (2 00 8) (p lu ral it y op in io n) ; an d (ii i) th e pr is on ers fai le d t o make th e

se co nd sh owi ng Glo ss ip req ui res -- a si gn ifi can t po ss ib il it y of es ta bl is hi ng a kn own ,
av ai la bl e al te rn at iv e th at wou ld si gn ifi can tl y red uc e a su bs ta nt ia l ris k of se ve re pa in

.

The Hon or ab le Kris ti ne G. Bak er, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e East ern 1 Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s.

-2

-McGe he e v. Hut ch in so n, No. 17 -1 80 4 (8 th Ci r. Apr

. 17 ), cert

. de ni ed
, No. 16 A10 03

(1 6- 87 70 ) (Ap ril 20 , 20 17 ). 2

W il li am s fil ed th is se pa rat e act io n, an “ as -ap pl ie d” ch al le ng e al le gi ng th at , du e
to hi s m ed ic al co nd i t i o n s

- - m or bi d ob es it y , di ab et es an d at te nd an t ne ur op at hy, hypert en si on , and sl eep ap ne a -- t he re i s a su bs ta nt ia l and un jus ti fia bl e ris k t ha t t he

ex ecu ti on m et ho d w i l l c a u s e hi m se ve re pa in an d se rio us ha rm in vi ol at io n of th e Eig ht h Am en dm en t.

On Apr il 21
, 20 17
, th e di st ric t co ur t he ld an ev id en ti ary he ari ng on W il li am s’s

m ot io n fo r a pr el im in ary in jun ct io n. In ad di ti on to th e reco rd fro m th e he ari ng in
McGe he e, W il li am s cal le d as wit ne ss es Dr. Jo el Ziv ot , an an es th es io lo gi st who al so
te st ifi ed at th e McGe he e he ari ng , an d Ark an sa s Dep art m en t of Co rrec ti on s Dire ct or W en dy Kell ey

. Bas ed on hi s rev ie w of W il li am s’s m ed ic al reco rd s and a Mar ch 23 ph y si cal ex am i n at io n, Dr. Ziv ot op in ed th at th e pr ot oc ol is “ un li ke ly” to ki ll Mr.
W il li am s bu t m or e li ke ly to le av e h i m d i s a bl ed
, an d th at if th e le th al -in jecti on
pr ot oc ol cau se s de at h, “ W il li ams w i ll ex pe rie nc e hi s de at h as ch ok in g an d

su ffo cat in g.” In ad di ti on , Dr. Ziv ot op in ed th at W il li am s’s weig ht -- ap pr ox im at el y 40 0 po un ds -- will m ak e lo cat in g a ve in fo r IV acce ss di ffi cu lt an d in crea se th e ris k

t ha t m id azo la m , t he in it ia l dr ug , wi ll no t pr op erl y pr ov id e an an es th et ic effe ct ; th at hi s ob st ru ct iv e sl eep ap ne a pu ts hi m at ris k of res pi rat or y di st res s d u r i n g t h e
pr oc ed ur e; an d th at , gi ve n hi s lo w po ta ss iu m le ve ls
, “ it is po ss i b le ” th at th e ad m in is tra ti on of po ta ss iu m ch lo rid e wil l no t act u a ll y ki ll hi m

. Dire ct or Kell ey

As we ex pl ai ne d in McGe he e: “ The St at e’s cu rren t le th al in jecti on pr ot oc ol 2 cal ls fo r in

jecti on of 50 0 m il li gr am s o f mi d a z ol am , fo ll owe d by 10 0 m il li gr am s of

ve rcu ro ni um br om id e, fo ll owe d by 24 0 m il li eq ui va le nt s of po ta ss iu m ch lo rid e. If th e pr is on er rem ai ns co ns ci ou s aft er th e in jecti on of th e m i d azo la m , ho wev er, th e
ex ecu ti on er wil l in

ject an ot he r 50 0 m il li gr a ms of m id azo la m be fo re in jecti ng
ve rcu ro ni um

bro m id e.” Mc Geh ee, No . 17 -1 80 4, Sl ip . Op. at 2.

-3

-te st ifi ed th at a pr e-ex ecu ti on “ ve in ch eck ” rev eal ed th at on ly on e of W il li am s’s arm s

ha d a “ go od ve in .”

At th e he ari ng , de fen da nt s in tro du ced ev id en ce th at a m ed ic al ly-trai ne d pe rs on ai de d by an ul tra so un d de vi ce can in se rt an IV li ne in to a 40 0- po un d m an , an d a 50 0

m g do se of m id azo la m “ wou ld ren de r an ap pr ox im at el y 40 0- po un d m an un co ns ci ou s

an d un ab le to se ns e an y pa in or th e ne ed to br eat he ,” reg ard le ss of w he th er he is di ab et ic , su ffer s fr om

sl eep ap ne a, or ha s h y

pe rte ns io n.

The di st ric t co ur t de ni ed W il li am s’s m ot io n fo r a pr el im in ary in jun ct io n on Apr il 21

. The co ur t co nc lu de d th at W il li am s un reas on ab ly de la y ed in br in gi ng hi s

as -ap pl ie d ch al le ng e, an d sp li t hi s cl ai m s by no t rai si ng th is cl ai m in th e f a c i al ch al le ng e in McGe he e. On th e m eri ts , th e co ur t fo un d th at W il l ia m s ha d no t id en ti fie d an al te rn at iv e m et ho d of ex ecu ti on in ad di ti on t o t ho se su gg es te d in
McGe he e, di d no t es ta bl is h wha t ad di ti on al sa feg ua rd s wou ld si gn ifi can tl y red uc e a

su bs ta nt ia l ris k of s e v e re pa in gi ve n W il li am s’s m ed ic al co nd it io ns , an d fai le d to of fer su ffi ci en t ev id en ce to es ta bl is h th at th e ex ecu ti on pr ot oc ol as ap pl ie d to hi m “ is

su re or ve ry li ke ly to cau se se ve re pa in .” The co ur t fu rth er co nc lu de d th at W il li am s’s

us e of pi ecemeal li ti ga ti on an d di la to ry ta ct ic s was su ffi ci en t reas on to de ny a st ay of

ex ecu ti on . See Hil l v . McDo no ug h, 5 47 U.S. 57 3, 5 84 -8 5 (2 00 4)

.

W e ag ree wit h th e di st ric t co ur t th at W il li am s fai le d to of fer ev id en ce

es ta bl is hi ng a si gn ifi can t li ke li ho od of su cces s on th e m eri ts

. “ In m at es se ek in g ti m e
to ch al le ng e th e m an ne r in whi ch th e St at e pl an s to ex ecu te th em m us t sat is fy al l of th e req ui rem en ts fo r a st ay , in cl ud in g a sh owi ng of a si gn ifi can t po ss ib il it y of su cces s

on th e m eri ts .” Jo hn so n v. Lom ba rd i, 80 9 F.3 d 38 8, 39 0 (8 th Ci r.), cert

. de ni ed
, 13 6
S. Ct . 60 1 (2 01 5)

.

To su ccee d on th e m eri ts , W il li am s m us t s h o w th at th e ex ecu ti on m et ho d is

“ su re or ve ry li ke ly to cau se se rio us il ln es s an d ne e d l e s s s u f feri ng .” Glo ss ip
, 13 5

-4

-S. Ct . a t 27 37

. Dr. Ziv ot op in ed th at th e ex ecu ti on pro to co l i s m or e li ke ly t o m ai m

th an k i ll W il li am s. The St at e pr od uc ed te st im on y th at th e ex ecu ti on pr ot oc ol wil l

su ccee d de sp it e W il li am s’s he al th c o n d i t i o n s. As in McGe he e, th e ev id en ce is

“ eq ui vo cal ,” la ck s “ sc ie nt ifi c co ns en su s” an d pr es en ts “ a pa uc it y of rel ia bl e sc ie nt ifi c

ev id en ce” on th e im

pa ct of th e le th al -in

jecti on pr ot oc ol on a pe rs on wit h W il li am s’s he al th co nd it io ns . No. 17 -1 80 4, Sl ip . Op. at 5-6

.

To su ccee d on th e m eri ts of hi s cl ai m , W il li am s m us t al so id en ti fy a kn own an d

av ai la ble al te rn at iv e m et ho d of ex ecu ti on th at wou ld su bs ta nt ia ll y re duc e a sig nif ic an t ris k of pa in

. See Jo hn so n, 80 9 F.3 d at 39 1. In t e rm s of al te rn at iv e pr ot oc ol s, W il li am s arg ue s th e sa m e al te rn at iv es of fere d by th e in m at es in McGe he e, whi ch we

co nc lu de d di d no t m eet Glo ss ip ’s st an da rd an d were no t li ke ly to em erg e as m or e th an

a “ sl ig ht ly or m arg in al ly sa fer al te rn at iv e.” McGe he e, Sl ip Op. at 7, qu ot in g 13 5 S.
Ct

. at 27 37

. W il li am s arg ue s he is no t req ui red to id en t ify a kn own , av ai la bl e al te rn at iv e m et ho d in an as -ap pl ie d ch al le ng e, bu t we rejec t e d t h a t co nt en ti on in
Jo hn so n, 80 9 F.3 d at 39 1. In Bu ck l e w v . Lo m ba rd i, 78 3 F.3 d 11 20 , 1 12 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 15 ), we reco gn iz ed th at , in an as -ap pl ie d ch al le ng e, ev id en ce th at t he St at e

un reas on ab ly refu se d to ch an ge it s reg ul ar m et ho d of ex ecu ti on to a feas ib le
, read il y im pl em en te d al te rn at iv e th at wou ld si gn ifi can tl y red uc e th e su bs ta nt ia l ris k of pa in

cau se d by a pr is on er’s un iq ue m ed ic al co nd it io n c o u l d sa ti sf y th e Glo ss ip st an da rd in an un us ua l cas e. W il li am s arg ue s Dire ct or Kell ey ’s te st im on y reg ard in g hi s “ ve in ch eck ” es ta bl is he s th i s i s su ch a cas e. Howev er, rat he r th an es ta bl is h a kn own ,
av ai la bl e al te rn at iv e, th is ev ide nc e show s tha t th e St at e im

pl em en ts it s cu rren t m et ho d in a m an ne r de si gn ed to red uc e th e ris k of se ve re pa in

. (Dir ect or Kell ey te st ifi ed th at al l i nm at es are p hysic al ly exam in ed to lo cat e in fu si on si te s p rio r to ex ecu ti on .)

Fi na ll y , we ag ree wit h th e di st ric t co ur t th at W il li am s un reas on ab ly de la y ed in br in gi ng th is as -ap pl ie d ch al le ng e. Not on ly di d he en ga ge in pi ecemeal li ti ga ti on by

no t joi ni ng th is cl ai m whe n he joi ne d t he McGe he e su it
, bu t he al so fai le d to br in g th is cl ai m whe n he an d ot he r pr is on er s b r o u gh t st at e an d fed eral ch al le ng es to th e

-5

-m et ho d of ex ecu ti on aft er it s ad op ti on in 20 15

. He do es no t al le ge th at hi s va rio us

he al th is su es aro se rece nt ly (o th er th an a sl eep ap ne a d i a g no si s in Mar ch 20 17 ). If he ha d ti m el y a s se rte d an as -ap pl ie d cl ai m , th ere wou ld ha ve be en ti m e to li ti ga te whe th er hi s co nd it io ns req ui red or su gg es te d m od ifi cat io n of th e pr ot oc ol as ap pl ie d

to hi m

. W hi le W il li am s is co rrec t th at hi s m ed ic al co nd it io ns m ay ev ol ve an d wor se n

ov er t im e, so th at a rece nt m ed ic al ex am in at io n was ne ed ed aft er h is ex ecu ti on was

sc he du le d, ti m el y pu rs ui t of an as -ap pl ie d ch al le ng e wou ld ha ve es ta bl is he d an

ev id en ti ary ba se , li ke ly m ak in g a la st -m in ut e s t a y o f ex ecu ti on un ne ces sa ry

. Thi s

“ us e of ‘pie cem eal li ti ga ti on ’ an d di la to ry ta ct ic s is su ffi ci en t reas on by it se lf to de ny
a st ay .” McGe he e, No. 1 7- 18 04 , Sli p. Op . at 4 , qu ot in g Hi ll , 54 7 U.S. at 58 3.

Fo r th e fo reg oi ng reas on s, we de ny W il li am s’s m ot io n fo r a st ay of ex ecu ti on
pe nd in g a pp eal

.

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