THE ROBING ROOM

Judge Nanette Laughrey's recent execution stay for Joseph Franklin was just pathetic. The 8th Circuit summarily dismissed her stay in record time. She can't even cite legal arguments for issuing a stay. The Supreme Court has spoken on the death penalty and the use of drugs. The bar for an appeal is very high, as the court has to be certain that the State did not follow Supreme Court precedent. 11th-hour claims are not sufficient to dissolve 20 years of state and federal court rulings. These judges issued emotional decisions, not factual ones. From the 8th Circuit: The District Court entered the stay of execution without referring to any legal standard. The District Court did not apply the standard Congress enacted that requires federal courts to give deference to state court decisions. Reversed. Joseph Franklin was executed hours later.