COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – Nearly two dozen former corrections officers from across the country have filed a court brief in support of a Missouri death row inmate’s claim that his medical condition could cause an unconstitutionally cruel execution.

Russell Bucklew was sentenced to death in 1997 for killing a southeast Missouri man. He has been scheduled for execution twice but was granted a stay each time. His case is before the Missouri Supreme Court.

Bucklew has a rare condition called cavernous hemangioma, which causes blood-filled tumors in his neck and head.

The Columbia Tribune reports that several briefs were filed on Bucklew’s behalf, including one from 23 former corrections officers who turned death penalty opponents. They say the high-risk execution places an unfair burden on corrections workers involved in the process.