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142163P.pdf   03/06/2015  Russell Bucklew  v.  George Lombardi
   U.S. Court of Appeals Case No:  14-2163
   U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri - Kansas City   
[PUBLISHED] [Loken, Author, for the Court En Banc] Prisoner case - habeas - Death Penalty. This opinion should be read in conjunction with the court en banc's March 6, 2015 opinion in No. 14-2220, Zink v. Lombardi,as Bucklew's due process claim is not materially different than the due process claims raised in Zink and is resolved in the opinion in that case. With respect to Bucklew's "as applied" Eighth Amendment claim arising out of his congenital cavernous hemangioma, the district court erred in dismissing the complaint sua sponte as it was not patently obvious that Bucklew could not prevail and would not amend his as-applied challenge to include a plausible allegation of a feasible and more humane alternative method of execution; on remand, the pleadings should be narrowly tailored and expeditiously conducted to address only those issues that are essential to resolving Bucklew's as-applied Eighth Amendment challenge; at the earliest possible time Bucklew must identify a feasible, readily implemented alternative procedure that will significantly reduce a substantial risk of severe pain and that the State has refused to adopt. Judge Bye, with whom Judges Murphy and Kelly join, concurring in the result. Judge Shepherd, with whom Judges Murphy and Bye join, concurring.