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U.S. Supreme Court issues 11th-hour stay in Alabama execution
Source: Reuters
U.S. | Thu Dec 8, 2016 | 6:48pm EST
U.S. Supreme Court issues 11th-hour stay in Alabama execution
By David Beasley
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a stay in the execution of a former Eagle Scout condemned to die for a 1994 convenience store killing as his lawyers raised constitutional questions about the state's death sentencing process.
Ronald Smith, 45, had been set to die by lethal injection at 6 p.m. CST (0000 GMT) at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. He would be the 20th person executed this year in the United States and the second in Alabama, according to the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center.
The Supreme Court did not give a reason for putting his execution on hold in the order, which was signed by Justice Clarence Thomas.
The decision came a month after the Supreme Court granted a last-minute hold to stop Alabama from carrying out another man's death sentence. Justices also did not give a reason for the stay of execution in that case.
The state's death penalty process is under scrutiny after the high court ruled in January that a similar death penalty law in Florida gave too much discretion to judges.
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U.S. Supreme Court issues 11th-hour stay in Alabama execution
By David Beasley
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a stay in the execution of a former Eagle Scout condemned to die for a 1994 convenience store killing as his lawyers raised constitutional questions about the state's death sentencing process.
Ronald Smith, 45, had been set to die by lethal injection at 6 p.m. CST (0000 GMT) at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. He would be the 20th person executed this year in the United States and the second in Alabama, according to the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center.
The Supreme Court did not give a reason for putting his execution on hold in the order, which was signed by Justice Clarence Thomas.
The decision came a month after the Supreme Court granted a last-minute hold to stop Alabama from carrying out another man's death sentence. Justices also did not give a reason for the stay of execution in that case.
The state's death penalty process is under scrutiny after the high court ruled in January that a similar death penalty law in Florida gave too much discretion to judges.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-alabama-execution-idUSKBN13X1OC