Post by sclcookie on Jun 2, 2006 1:19:23 GMT -5
Federal judge stops planned Oklahoma execution
A federal judge has stayed the execution of 74-year-old convicted killer
John Albert Boltz.
U.S.District Judge Stephen Friot ordered the execution halted after a
hearing in which Boltz's court-appointed attorney challenged the lethal
injection method used in Oklahoma.
Boltz had alleged lethal injection may violate 8th Amendment guarantees
against cruel and unusual punishment.
Boltz was convicted of 1st-degree murder and was sentenced to death in
Pottawatomie County in 1985 for the fatally stabbing of Doug Kirby.
Boltz was scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. at the Oklahoma State
Penitentiary at McAlester.
The 74-year-old would have been the oldest person ever executed in
Oklahoma.
Kirby, 22, was killed after he drove to Boltz's home to discuss threats
Boltz had made to Pat Kirby, who had told Boltz earlier that day she
wanted a divorce, authorities said.
Boltz claimed he acted in self-defense and that Kirby came to his
Pottawatomie County home to confront him.
Boltz would be the 3rd oldest person put to death in the nation since
capital punishment was reinstated nearly 3 decades ago.
The Pardon and Parole Board voted 5-0 last week to deny clemency for
Boltz.
(source: Tulsa World)
A federal judge has stayed the execution of 74-year-old convicted killer
John Albert Boltz.
U.S.District Judge Stephen Friot ordered the execution halted after a
hearing in which Boltz's court-appointed attorney challenged the lethal
injection method used in Oklahoma.
Boltz had alleged lethal injection may violate 8th Amendment guarantees
against cruel and unusual punishment.
Boltz was convicted of 1st-degree murder and was sentenced to death in
Pottawatomie County in 1985 for the fatally stabbing of Doug Kirby.
Boltz was scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. at the Oklahoma State
Penitentiary at McAlester.
The 74-year-old would have been the oldest person ever executed in
Oklahoma.
Kirby, 22, was killed after he drove to Boltz's home to discuss threats
Boltz had made to Pat Kirby, who had told Boltz earlier that day she
wanted a divorce, authorities said.
Boltz claimed he acted in self-defense and that Kirby came to his
Pottawatomie County home to confront him.
Boltz would be the 3rd oldest person put to death in the nation since
capital punishment was reinstated nearly 3 decades ago.
The Pardon and Parole Board voted 5-0 last week to deny clemency for
Boltz.
(source: Tulsa World)