Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Original publication date : Friday, May 01, 1992

A Little Rock pharmacist will not be charged in the fatal shooting Monday of a fleeing robbery suspect who police said turned on the pharmacist with a knife. Bruce Leasure , a druggist at Generic Pharmacies, ' 4500 W Markham St., was justified in chasing Stephen Cole and firing two shots at him, Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Stodola said at a news conference Thursday.

Cole, 40, of Little Rock, was shot about a half block from the pharmacy. He allegedly dismissed the four challenges to Hill's sentence, saying they are without merit. "For the most part, he fails to allege new or different grounds for relief," Woods wrote. "He simply restates the same grounds by altered terminology. The new grounds could have been asserted in the prior petition and thus constitute an abuse .of the robbed the store of narcotics while he held a knife to a female employee's throat and threatened to cut off her head. Leasure , 38, of Little Rock, chased Cole from the store. Police said Leasure is co-owner of the store. Stodola said his decision not to charge Leasure hinged on the fact that Leasure reasonably believed Cole, who was armed with a knife with a 5 '/ 2-inch blade, was about to use force.
"Seeing Mr. Cole advance on him two or three steps with the knife raised... , ' Mr . Leasure discharged his weapon."
Woods also rejected an amendment Cambiano filed that contended death by lethal injection constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. Cambiano said that only a medical doctor , would be qualified to conduct an execution.
That would appear to conflict with the Hippocratic oath of ethical action," Stodola said.
Stodola said a Russellville man, parked on the pharmacy lot, saw most of the incident. In a statement released by Stodola, the witness said he saw Leasure chase Cole from the store and heard Leasure order Cole several times to stop.
The witness- said Leasure fired a warning shot. He also backed Leasure's statement that Cole turned and advanced toward Leasure.
Stodola said about 10-12 feet separated Leasure and Cole when the shots were fired from the .357-caliber Magnum re-See SHOOTING, 

This story was published Friday, May 01, 1992