Barber argued to the United States Court of Appeals that his execution should be halted because he is at substantial risk of serious harm and "torture" under current protocols.
Legal and ethical questions have swirled around capital punishment in the United States after several lethal injections have been botched in recent years.
The number of executions in the United States has drastically fallen since 1999, when a record 98 executions were carried out.
Capital punishment was reinstated in the United States in 1976.
Over the last five years, a total of 78 death row inmates have been executed, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Persons:
Kay Ivey, James Barber, William Holman, Dorothy Epps, Ivey, Barber, Brendan O'Brien, Sandra Maler
Organizations:
William, William Holman Correctional, Republican, Department of Corrections, United States, of Appeals, Thomson
Locations:
Alabama, Atmore , Alabama, Harvest , Alabama, United States, Chicago