SCOTUS to enter lethal injection scrummages today

As briefly noted in this post, the Supreme Court hears oral argument today in the lethal injection case of Hill v. McDonough (some background here and here).  As I explained here right after the cert grant, the narrow procedural issue in Hill arguably is not that important (especially if a majority of the Court is prepared to declare most lethal injection protocols constitutional).  But because the Hill cert. grant has already had a ripple effect on lethal injection litigation throughout the country, the stakes in Hill have practically become much higher no matter how the Court decides to approach this case.

The folks at SCOTUSblog have a nice review of the legal issues in Hill, and TalkLeft provides here another blog perspective.  In addition, the media is all over this case with coverage from the Washington Post, AP, Knight Ridder, USAToday, the Christian Science Monitor and many others.  The New York Times adds this editorial entitled "Lethal Cruelty."

I have been following this issue closely, in part because I see Hill and its remarkable aftermath (halted executions in some states but not in others) as exhibit A in the dysfunctionality of litigation over capital punishment.  Here's just an abridged list of recent posts on this topic (from earliest to most recent):

HILL COVERAGE

• Florida Supreme Court rejects challenge to lethal injection
• What's SCOTUS doing in the Hill case?
• Does the SCOTUS cert. grant create a de facto moratorium?
• A cruel and too usual jurisprudence?
• How will the Hill case impact execution plans?
• Human Rights Watch issues report on lethal injection

THE IMPACT IN OTHER CASES

• More lethal injection scrummages
• The Morales mess and lethal injection scrummages continue
• Federal executions stayed due to lethal injection concerns
• Reviewing the lethal injection scrummages
• The latest rounds in the lethal injection scrums
• Executions on track for NC and Virginia