The U.S. Supreme Court has halted the scheduled execution of at least two men, as the state of Arkansas fights to carry out an unprecedented spate of executions in modern U.S. history.

On Monday night, the Arkansas Supreme Court stayed the executions of Don Davis and Bruce Ward. This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge by state officials, leaving Monday’s stay in place.

Under Arkansas’s original plan, it was to carry out eight executions this month, as the state scrambled to carry out the executions before the supply of one of the execution drugs expired. Click here to see our full interview with Arkansas lawyer Lee Short; executive director of Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Furonda Brasfield; and former death row prisoner Damien Echols.