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| U.S. Supreme Court Stays Execution |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 02/04/2002 |
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The U.S. Supreme Court gave a reprieve recently to a death row inmate convicted of stabbing to death an elderly widow in 1977. The justices stopped the January 24th execution of Amos King so they could consider an Arizona case that deals with a fundamental aspect of Florida's capital punishment law: the power of the judge, rather than the jury, to impose the death sentence. Florida is one of nine states that, like Arizona, lets judges decide whether a murderer should die, even if a jury has recommended a life sentence. King, 47, was to be executed for killing Brady, then 68, who was raped, stabbed and beaten in her home. He maintained his innocence Wednesday. 'I would be cheering, but I've been preparing myself. I've been preparing for anything, mainly for the worst,'' King said at a news conference at Florida State Prison. King's stay is open-ended, meaning it could be lifted at any time. Carolyn Snurkowski, who oversees criminal appeals for Attorney General Bob Butterworth, said the state will not seek to dissolve the stay. If the Supreme Court overturns Arizona's law, that could result in Florida's law being declared unconstitutional. |
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