Death row inmate Brian Dorsey in Missouri faces potential "surgery without anesthesia" if no suitable vein can be found for a lethal injection.

Death row inmate Brian Dorsey in Missouri faces potential "surgery without anesthesia" if no suitable vein can be found for a lethal injection, according to his lawyers. Scheduled for execution on Tuesday, Dorsey's attorneys argue that the "cutdown procedure," which involves an incision several inches wide and deep to access a vein, could violate his constitutional guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment. Missouri's execution protocol allows for the procedure, with medical personnel having access to pain-relieving medication if necessary. The attorneys are seeking clemency from Governor Mike Parson and have filed several appeals.