A federal appeals court has upheld a judge's order blocking death row inmates from information about Ohio's new lethal injection process. Friday's 2-1 decision by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will help determine whether Ohio will proceed with its first executions in three years beginning in February. Attorneys for condemned inmates had challenged the order. Ohio plans to execute Ronald Phillips on Feb. 15 for raping and killing his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter in 1993. Another execution is scheduled for April. Judge Eugene Siler, writing for the majority, said a judge didn't abuse his discretion last fall when he barred the release of information about lethal injection requested by attorneys for Phillips and other inmates. Executions have been on hold in Ohio since January 2014.
