More Appeals for Baze & Bowling: After losing their U.S. Supreme Court challenge to lethal injection last April, double murderers Ralph Baze and Clyde Bowling, Jr. may be down to their last appeal. A story by Beth Musgrave in today's Lexington Herald Leader reports that the Kentucky Supreme Court heard oral argument yesterday on a claim by Baze and Bowling that the state's execution protocol is invalid because it was not adopted as an administrative procedure, which would have allowed public comment. The court is also considering Baze's claim that a change of venue for his trial, due to pre-trial publicity, was improper. The prosecution notes that Baze's counsel did not object at the time.

Execution Protocol in North Carolina Challenged: A story on NC Wanted reports that lawyers for death row inmates and the state argued yesterday over whether North Carolina's lethal injection protocol is unconstitutional. The Superior Court Judge hearing the case announced that he will not rule until the state Supreme Court decides if the state medical board can discipline doctors who participate in executions. The Supreme Court of North Carolina will hear arguments in that case, Department of Corrections v. Medical Board, on November 18th.