Hill Execution Stayed

The Georgia Supreme Court has stayed tonight's scheduled execution.  The ruling is available in Adobe. pdf format.

"State Supreme Court grants stay of execution to killer," is Bill Rankin's Atlanta Journal-Constitution post.

The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday unanimously granted a stay of execution to Warren Hill, a death-row inmate who was scheduled to be put to death at 7 p.m.

The court said it would decide whether the Department of Corrections' recent decision to switch its lethal-injection process from three drugs to one violates the state Administrative Procedure Act.

Earlier Monday, a Fulton County judge had expressed frustration the state Supreme Court had yet to decide the issue on the merits. In a ruling from the bench, Superior Court Judge Craig Schwall encouraged the court to issue a substantive ruling on the issue.

The state has contended the change in the lethal-injection procedure was not subject to the Administrative Procedure Act, which requires a 30-day public comment period before a change in procedure is allowed.

"Georgia Supreme Court Stays Hill's Execution," is the AP report, via WMAZ-TV.

"Condemned Georgia inmate gets reprieve," at CNN.

Earlier coverage of Warren Hill's case begins at the link.