Appeals court won’t review denial of firing squad request

By KATE BRUMBACK Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) — A federal appeals court has declined to reconsider its earlier ruling that rejected the request by a man on Georgia’s death row to die by firing squad rather than by the injection of a sedative. Lawyers for Michael Wade Nance argued that his veins are severely compromised. They said the execution method Georgia uses could cause him excruciating pain in violation of his constitutional rights. They suggested instead that the state execute Nance by firing squad. A federal judge rejected that and a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it could not consider the request for procedural reasons. The full appeals court on Tuesday issued a 7-3 decision declining to reconsider the panel’s decision.