THE BIGGER ISSUE

Supreme Court Split on Death Penalty

Oklahoma case reveals.

The U.S. Supreme Court appears to be divided on the use of the dealth penalty in America after hearing oral arguments in a case challenging Oklahoma's lethal injection method as a violation of the Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment Wednesday. The case, brought on by three death row inmates, centers on the use of the sedative midazolam, which the inmates argue is not fit for executions since it does not induce the level of unconsciousness required for surgery.The court's four liberals conveyed their concern over the standards of midazolam while the remaining five conservatives appeared to support Oklahoma, with some calling it an attack on the death penalty itself. A ruling is due in June.