Alabama says delay in execution caused by IV line issue

By KIM CHANDLER
Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama’s prison system said Friday that a delay before an execution was caused because of the time it took to establish an intravenous line to the inmate.  In a statement Friday, the state said it tool “adequate time” to establish an intravenous line.  Joe Nathan James Jr. was put to death Thursday night for the 1994 murder of his ex-girlfriend, Faith Hall. He was pronounced dead more than three hours after the procedure originally was supposed to begin. The head of the Death Penalty Information Center says such a time lapse is highly unusual and very troubling.