Arkansas inmate seeks stay of execution pending appeal

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – An Arkansas death row inmate with a case pending before the state Supreme Court wants its justices to prevent his execution while he pursues another case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bruce Ward had been set to die last April during a string of executions. He wants the U.S. Supreme Court to consider whether he should have been entitled to the use of an independent mental health professional at his trial. The Arkansas Supreme Court said March 1 that Ward never met the minimum threshold for such assistance.

Another inmate slated to die last year, Don Davis, filed similar paperwork last week asking that the March 1 ruling not take effect.

Ward and Jack Greene also say Arkansas’ prison director isn’t competent to judge their sanity.

Arkansas’ attorney general says she is reviewing the request.