Appeals court rejects bid to halt execution of Virginia killer

(Reuters) - The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request that the Thursday execution of convicted Virginia serial killer Alfredo Prieto be temporarily halted.

Lawyers for Prieto had appealed a ruling by a U.S. District Court judge in Richmond that lifted an order halting Prieto's scheduled death by lethal injection at 9 p.m.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Peter Cooney)