denying certiorari on similar issue; opinion of Stevens, J., pointing out denial is not ruling on merits

denying certiorari where petitioners had been on death row for twenty years or more

denying certiorari where petitioners had been on death row for twenty years or more

rejecting “proposition that a defendant can avail himself of the panoply of appellate and collateral procedures and then complain when his execution is delayed”

noting that 24 prisoners had been on death row for more than 20 years

discussing Lackey claim raised after state resentencing on successful habeas corpus petition

arguing that the Court should consider the question

stating that long delays are "inhuman, degrading, or unusually cruel" for the prisoner

arguing that imposition of the death penalty might violate the Eighth Amendment where petitioner had been on death row for twenty-four years and the Eleventh Circuit found that Florida's death penalty sentencing procedure was constitutionally defective, but the State waited more than seven years before holding a new sentencing hearing

noting U.N. Human Rights Committee decisions that a ten-year delay between death sentence and execution is not necessarily a violation of UDHR as informative precedent in Eighth Amendment case

noting U.N. Human Rights Committee decision that ten year delay between death sentence and execution not necessarily a violation of UDHR as informative precedent in Eighth Amendment case

arguing imposition of death penalty might violate Eighth Amendment where petitioner spent twenty-four years on death row before Eleventh Circuit found Florida's sentencing procedure defective and State waited seven years to hold new sentencing hearing