In Nashville, Tennessee, lawyers for convicted murderer Sedley Alley who has just been executed by lethal injection have obtained a court order barring the state from performing an autopsy. Alley had religious objections to autopsy, according to today's Tennessean. In an attempt to prevent execution, Alley had unsuccessfully argued that the state's lethal injection protocol is cruel and inhumane. An autopsy might disclose whether Alley suffered as he was put to death. It is not clear whether the state will appeal the ruling by federal Judge Aleta Trauger.
UPDATE: The full opinion in the case, granting a prelimiary injunction on Free Exercise grounds as well as on the ground of lack of statutory authority is now available on LEXIS: Alley v. Levy, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44641 (MD Tenn., June 28, 2006).
