Death row inmate who survived a botched execution attempt dies of cancer

(CNN) — An Alabama death row inmate who survived a botched execution attempt in 2018 has died.

Doyle Hamm passed away Sunday morning from lymphatic cancer, according to his attorney, Bernard Harcourt. Hamm was diagnosed with the disease in 2014, his attorney said.

Hamm was sentenced to die for the 1987 murder of a motel clerk.

The State of Alabama attempted to execute Hamm by lethal injection in February 2018, but failed after staff and medical personnel worked for 2 1/2 hours to find veins in his groin, feet and legs.

After the execution was aborted, Alabama correction officials denied there was any problem with the procedure and said they halted it when they ran out of time before the midnight execution deadline.

Harcourt called the execution attempt “botched and bloody” at the time, and Hamm sued for his death sentence to be vacated, claiming the painful procedure was cruel and unusual punishment.

Hamm was on death row at Holman Prison in Atmore, Alabama, at the time of his death, Harcourt said.