Execution Halted, Alabama Inmate Back on Death Row

[flashl]

August 01, 2008 - Mobile

An Alabama prisoner who was spared execution for a third time was on Thursday moved from a waiting cell near the lethal injection chamber back to death row.

The Alabama Supreme Court postponed executing Thomas Arthur, 66, after arguments over DNA testing and an inmate's claim in a sworn statement to defense attorneys that he committed the murder that sent the Arthur to death row.

Arthur was scheduled to die Thursday, more than 26 years after he was convicted of killing Troy Wicker Jr. of Muscle Shoals.

It was the third time Arthur received a stay on the eve of his execution.

Sounds promising for Arthur. IIRC, a sworn statement from another who swears to be murderer is not always enough to stop execution.

[Spangle]

1. They will have to look at the evidence now.

To prove one way or the other.

I can't believe they have evidence that they have not even fully checked out. Some folks just want a person found guilty. Others want to ensure that the guilty one isn't walking around free, doing harm to others.