Alan Miller's deadly execution by lethal injection was halted when jail staff couldn't find his veins by midnight.

ATMORE, ALABAMA:-Despite having all the necessary equipment and personnel in place, the state of Alabama was unable to carry out the execution of a death row inmate at Atmore, Alabama by the midnight deadline on Thursday, September 22. More than two decades after his trial, Alan Eugene Miller was still due to be killed on Thursday for his role in three separate murders. [caption id="attachment_43485" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Execution for the more than 20-year-old triple murder conviction of Alan Miller was set for Thursday, September 22.[/caption] After Miller's execution was halted at 11:30 p.m., Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Hamm said that Miller had returned to his cell. Miller was unsuccessful in his appeal to the US Supreme Court, and the court ruled that he would be executed by lethal injection. The execution was postponed at around 11:30 pm on Thursday, September 22, but on Friday morning, September 23, Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Hamm reported that Miller had been restored to his cell. After it was established that the condemned inmate's veins could not be accessible in accordance with our protocol before the expiration of the death warrant, Hamm said, "due to time restrictions stemming from the lateness of the court proceedings, the execution was called off." At 9:20 p.m., jail personnel were told to begin carrying out the execution. Even though they tried, the Holman Correctional Facility execution crew was unable to get intravenous access to Miller's body before the midnight deadline. [caption id="attachment_43486" align="alignnone" width="780"] Alan Miller pictured in 1999[/caption] After the execution was temporarily halted, a statement from Governor Kay Ivey's office indicated they "expect that the execution will be reset at the earliest opportunity." Ivey also stated that Miller's family has been informed by the Correction Commissioner that Miller's execution has been cancelled. "Despite the circumstances that led to this execution being halted, nothing will change the fact that a jury heard the facts in this case and made a decision. Mr. Miller never denied his guilt, therefore this doesn't change anything. "Three grieving families is still three grieving families," Ivey added. A federal judge's injunction, which had been upheld by the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals, was withdrawn by a 5-4 vote from the Supreme Court of the United States just three hours before Miller was scheduled to be executed.