SACRAMENTO, May 4 (UPI) -- A federal judge has been asked to delay for at least nine months his review of California's revised lethal injections procedures, court documents indicate.
The California Department of Corrections said extra time is needed so the new warden at San Quentin prison can recruit and train a new execution team, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
Lawyers for the state told U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel it isn't feasible to schedule any executions this year.
They said the state must first put together a new lethal injection team, train its 20-plus members and provide documentation of their qualifications to lawyers for all condemned inmates.
New execution procedures won't be ready for review and potential approval until at least next January, the state said.
Court transcripts released this week did not explain why San Quentin Warden Michael Martel wants a new execution team.
The delay means it will be at least six years before California executes any of the 713 prisoners on death row.
