A Texas man on death row has been spared from execution for at least two months as the coronavirus pandemic grips the nation.
Appeals court judges in Texas have issued a 60-day stay of execution for convicted Fort Worth murderer John Hummel, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The decision was made on Monday “in light of the current health crisis and the enormous resources needed to address that emergency.”
Hummel, 44, was convicted of fatally stabbing his pregnant wife with samurai swords and a medieval dagger before beating his father-in-law with a baseball bat and burning their house to the ground in 2009. He was also a suspect in his 5-year-old daughter’s death.
After the 60-day stay is up, the Tarrant County court will set a new execution date. Kristin Houle, executive director of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, praised the Monday decision.
“Clearly, we are in unprecedented situation with the global pandemic,” she said. “I am glad that more reasonable heads prevailed and realized the gross inappropriateness of carrying out an execution in such an unprecedented time in the world.”
The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office said in its argument against the motion that Hummel presented no compelling case that the coronavirus outbreak would prevent any obstacles to putting him to death. It also said that his motion was filed late.
In the United States, there have been at least 7,324 cases of the coronavirus, 17 recoveries, and 115 deaths, according to the latest reading by the Johns Hopkins University tracker.
