The Supreme Court late Thursday issued a last-minute stay on the Alabama execution of Thomas A. Douglas, the seventh time he has avoided capital punishment.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who was the justice assigned to the 11th Circuit Court, which includes Alabama, said in an order that he was halting the execution until he or the other justices issued another order. The justices will now have more time to consider the questions Douglas raised about his method of execution, lethal injection.