On January 20, 2011 at 11:15 am, the Southern Center for Human Rights filed an Emergency Injunction on behalf of Mr. Hammond seeking an expedited hearing or stay of execution and full access to public records pertaining to the expenditure of public funds, purchases, inventory and expiration dates for drugs utilized in the lethal injection procedure in Georgia. Information contained in these records are not exempt from public disclosure and are critical to addressing whether the State of Georgia is executing convicted persons by lethal injection, in a manner permitted by the constitution and in compliance with accepted medical and ethical standards.

On January 21, 2011 at 1:00pm Judge Michael D. Johnson will hold a hearing at the Fulton County Courthouse, Courtroom 8B, 136 Pryor Street, SW Atlanta, GA 30303. 

On January 24, 2011, Judge Johnson ordered the GDOC to turn over the full and unredacted record, finding that the GDOC did fail to comply with the Open Records Act. Judge Johnson declined to halt Tuesday’s scheduled execution.

On January 25, 2011, The Georgia Supreme Court denied Hammond's appeal. 

On January 25, 2011, Judge Johnson held a hearing on the lethal injection lawsuit.

The United States Supreme Court issued a halt, which delayed the execution for 3 hours. The halt was lifted at 11:30 pm.