The Arkansas attorney general's office is asking the state Supreme Court to hold oral arguments in the state's appeal of a lower court's ruling not to dismiss a constitutional challenge to Arkansas' execution secrecy law.
The Supreme Court previously stayed eight executions until the challenge filed by a handful of death row inmates is heard.
Arkansas filed its appeal brief late Thursday, saying the inmates had failed to prove constitutional issues with the law that allows the source of the drugs to be kept secret.
Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Merritt writes that the justices should therefore rule the state has immunity from the lawsuit and an order to disclose the drugs' makers or seller is moot.
An attorney for the inmates did not immediately return a message seeking comment Friday.
