Texas: 48-year-old Michael Richard has been executed for a 1986 rape and murder after the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused to remain open for an extra 20 minutes to hear an appeal from his lawyers.

On the morning of his execution the Supreme Court agreed to review the legality of lethal injection in another case. His lawyers rushed to draft an appeal but were unable to finish it by 5:00 PM due to a computer malfunction.

The lawyers rang the court house at 4:50 and begged them to remain open for a short time longer. The request was refused. The lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court which was unable to review the matter as it hadn't been filed in the lower court.

Source: www.news.com.au