The US Supreme Court last night stayed the execution of a Missouri inmate who was to become the 700th person put to death in the United States since the court restored the death penalty in 1976.
The court issued its ruling less than two hours before convicted murderer and rapist Antonio Richardson (26) was to receive a lethal injection at one minute past midnight at the Potosi Correctional Center.
It was the second stay of execution the same day. Hours earlierthe Georgia State Supreme Court stayed the execution of Ronald Spivey (61) because of concern death in an electric chair mayconstitute cruel and unusual punishment.
Spivey, convicted of the 1976 murder of an off-duty policeofficer, was also set to become the 700th person executed in theUS since 1976.
Spivey's execution was to be videotaped, for thefirst time ever, by order of a Georgia court, to give legal experts a chance to see if death in an electric chair constituted cruel andunusual punishment.
Advocates for the mentally impaired and groups opposed tosentencing 16-year-olds to death, including the European Union, have petitioned Missouri Governor Bob Holden to commute Richardson's sentence.
AFP