Local media outlets had tweeted photos of Griffen at a demonstration held by execution opponents outside the Governor's Mansion earlier Friday.
A spokesperson for state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said Arkansas would appeal the ruling, adding, "It is unfortunate that a USA district judge has chosen to side with the convicted prisoners in one of their many last-minute attempts to delay justice".
"Based on the evidence presented in the parties' filings and at the hearing, the court finds that there is a significant possibility that plaintiffs will succeed on the merits of their Eighth Amendment challenge to Arkansas's lethal injection protocol", Baker wrote in the ruling.
Arkansas officials are contesting legal rulings that blocked the state from carrying out its plan to put to death at least half a dozen inmates within a span of days.
Actor Johnny Depp greets someone as he walks to the podium to speak at a rally opposing Arkansas' upcoming executions, which are set to begin next week, on the front steps of the Capitol Friday, April 14, 2017, in Little Rock, Ark. The Arkansas Supreme Court was a buzz Saturday, though we don't know why. In a victory for the state Sunday, a federal judge in western Arkansas denied a stay request by Davis.
Other states have botched executions when using midazolam, producing reports of prolonged deaths that included inmates gasping, coughing and writhing on gurneys.
She also declined to block the executions on the the basis of the prisoners' contention that Arkansas' lethal injection protocol goes against the country's evolving standards of decency. No state has ever executed as many inmates in as short a period since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
The lawsuit is among a flurry of challenges the inmates have filed to halt the executions.
Lawyers for man dragged off United plane file court request
A United Airlines spokesperson told the agencies that the passengers "are receiving compensation for the cost of their tickets". Another man traveling with high school students stood up at that point and said they were getting off the plane, Bridges said.
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge appealed the decision hours after it was issued.
It also comes after Arkansas Circuit Court Judge Wendell Griffen issued a temporary restraining order against the state to delay seven planned executions.
The company has said it sold the drug to be used for medical purposes, not executions.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch protested against the planned "flurry of state-sanctioned killings unseen in the modern history of the U.S. death penalty". The U.S. Supreme Court could be asked to tackle a number of questions before the end of the day and, depending on those answers, Ward could walk to the death chamber at Varner for a 7 p.m. execution.
U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker granted the inmates stays of execution on Saturday, but she rejected their arguments that there was too little time between executions.
We also got a statement from the Arkansas Department of Correction: despite Saturday's ruling and the others that are expected, they are proceeding with preparations and will be ready to carry out that first execution on Monday.
The state originally planned to execute eight inmates, but two had previously been blocked by state and federal courts. A shortage of lethal injection drugs has caused states nationwide to scramble in recent years, and Arkansas officials have pointed to this shortage in arguing for the executions scheduled this month.
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