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Ohio Execution Called Off After Failure to Find an Open Vein

Only the third time in U.S. history an execution has been called off after it started.

The execution of a sickly Ohio inmate was called off on Wednesday after the state’s execution team was unable to find a vein to administer the lethal injection, the AP reported. The team reportedly tried to find a vein on Alva Campbell for 80 minutes before media witnesses were told to leave and the execution was called off. This is only the third time in U.S. history an execution has been called off after it started. Campbell, who was scheduled to die for killing a teenager during a carjacking in 1997, was sent back to death row. His attorney had previously argued that Campbell is too ill to execute due to his severe breathing problems, which require treatments four times a day. Campbell, who also requires a walker and a colostomy bag, was given a wedge pillow on the gurney in the death chamber to help him breathe. He lost a bid earlier this month to be executed by firing squad.