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Judge Doubts Oklahoma Ready for November 13 Execution

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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A federal judge says he's concerned Oklahoma won't be able to give its execution team more training before three inmates are scheduled to go to be executed this fall.

Oklahoma recently said it would revamp its execution procedures and retrain its staff after condemned inmate Clayton Lockett took 43 minutes to die in April.

But 21 death row inmates said in a lawsuit that they still fear their executions could be cruel and violate their constitutional rights.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Friot said Thursday he wasn't sure the prison staff could be re-trained before Charles Warner's scheduled execution on Nov. 13 and suggested the state seek a delay while the lawsuit continues.

A spokesman for Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

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