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scheduled -- that's why the state always sets the execution time for a minute after midnight, in case there are court delays. If the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately decides in favor of the state, the execution could occur later Wednesday.
• Smulls' lawyer, Cheryl Pilate, had made last-minute pleas Tuesday to spare his life, focusing on the state's refusal to disclose from which compounding pharmacy they obtain the lethal-injection drug, pentobarbital. But Missouri has argued the compounding pharmacy is part of the execution team -- and therefore its name cannot be released to the public.
• Smulls, 56, was convicted and sentenced to death for killing a St. Louis County jeweler and badly injuring his wife during a 1991 robbery.
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• NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Every time Peyton Manning sets foot in the locker room lately, he comes across No. 18 jerseys that other members of the Denver Broncos left for him to sign.
• Nothing out of the ordinary. Happens all season. Except nowadays, instead of asking him to donate an autograph for some sort of fundraising endeavor, teammates are eyeing a personal keepsake -- as if they're worried they won't get another chance.
• No matter that the 37-year-old Manning has made plain he has no intention of retiring right now, whether his Broncos win or lose against the Seattle Seahawks in Sunday's Super Bowl.
• "A lot of them had a note: 'Sign this for me.' So I must have signed 10 jerseys for my teammates," Manning said Tuesday at media day, "which makes me think they think I probably should be out of here after this game."
• As he spoke, Manning jutted out his right thumb, using the universal symbol for "Take a hike!"
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