The Missouri Supreme Court has refused to schedule executions for six inmates on death row. The high court will wait until the courts decide whether the new death penalty protocol violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

The court says it would be premature to schedule executions until the courts decide if using propofol to cause the death of an inmate violates the constitution.

A case is currently pending in Cole County in which lawyers are challenging the execution protocol adopted by the Department of Corrections on may 15, 2012.

Tuesday’s ruling came after the Missouri Attorney General’s Office requested the court set execution dates in six cases.

In a statement, Attorney General Chris Koster said they will continue to push for executions in the cases.

“I am disappointed that the Missouri Supreme Court declined to order execution dates for these six individuals, whose cases have been completely through the appeals system and are ready to have execution dates set,” Koster said.

“The Court had the option of setting execution dates, which would have effectively imposed deadlines on lower court challenges to the execution protocol. The Attorney General’s Office will continue to do all we can to expedite the protocol-challenge cases.”