The U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection yesterday of a challenge to how lethal injections are conducted clears the way for executions to resume in Virginia and across the country.But opponents of the procedure in Virginia and elsewhere say the high court’s 7-2 decision, which involved seven different opinions, also leaves open the way for more challenges.Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who delayed one execution this month and promised to halt others until the court ruled, said yesterday that lethal injections can resume in Virginia.

“The governor will continue to review any clemency requests on a case-by-case basis,” said Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey.

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Meanwhile, the Democrat AG in Arkansas says it’s too soon to resume:

“We’re going to read it and see how it impacts us,” McDaniel said shortly after the Supreme Court issued its 7-2 decision. “There are going to be specific issues of law and fact in Arkansas that are going to be different from Kentucky. It may answer all of our questions, but it may leave some others unanswered.”

The scheduled executions of three death-row inmates in Arkansas _ Terrick Nooner, Don William Davis and Jack Harold Jones Jr. _ were scrapped while the Kentucky case was pending and a similar lawsuit filed by Nooner. Davis and Jones have signed on to Nooner’s lawsuit.

Jones’ attorney said the high court’s ruling essentially wipes away the last hope Jones had to stop his execution.

“He’ll almost certainly be executed then, because that’s his only remaining issue. … Barring something where the law changes, he really doesn’t have anything else to argue. Everything else has already been argued,” Little Rock attorney Jeff Rosenzweig said.

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