US Supreme Court halts Missouri execution

The US Supreme Court halted the scheduled execution of a convicted murderer, saying his lethal injection should be delayed pending a ruling on whether his medical condition would cause undue suffering. Ernest Johnson, 55, had been scheduled to be put to death after 6:00 pm (0000 GMT Wednesday) in Missouri. The execution was due to be carried out with drugs including pentobarbital, which numbs the central nervous system including parts of the brain.