US executions resume after seven-month hiatus

WASHINGTON, (AFP) — Authorities in the US state of Georgia ended a seven-month hiatus on executions in the United States, putting to death convicted murderer William Lynd for killing his girlfriend in 1988.

Lynd, 53, became the first person executed in the United States since a death row inmate was put to death in Texas on September 25.

He was executed at 2300 GMT Tuesday at the Jackson state prison in Georgia, a prison spokeswoman said.

The hiatus followed several challenges in the US Supreme Court on the constitutionality of lethal injection, the method used to execute most death penalty inmates.

On April 16 the justices ruled 7-2 that the risk of suffering to those executed by lethal injection did not constitute "cruel and unusual punishment," which is barred under the US Constitution.

The seven justices however were split in their reasons for accepting lethal injection, all but ...