The execution of a California man was delayed for at least 15 hours early today after two court-appointed anaesthesiologists walked off the job over ethical concerns.
Michael Morales had been scheduled to die at 12.01am for the rape and murder of an 17-year-old girl in 1981.
The execution could not take place after the doctors refused to be present to give the court-required certification that Morales (46) was unconscious before the lethal injection was given, thus minimising the pain.
A San Quentin State prison spokesman said the execution was rescheduled for 7.30 pm today. Without the doctors present, the state will need to alter the chemicals used in the execution.
Defence attorneys had claimed last week that the use of the lethal injection was cruel and unusual punishment, barred by the Constitution.
This prompted a judge to order prison officials to either alter the composition of the lethal chemicals used or make medical experts available to ensure unnecessary pain was not inflicted during the execution.
US District Judge Jeremy Fogel had expressed concern that two of the three chemicals used in California, which should kill within a minute, sometimes took several minutes before stopping the condemned person's heart.
The state then agreed to provide an unidentified anaesthesiologist to attend the execution.