via BBC News
The US Supreme Court has granted a last-minute stay of execution to a double killer whose lawyers argue the case was tainted by race issues.
Duane Buck, 48, shot and killed his ex-girlfriend Debra Gardner and Kenneth Butler at her home in Texas in 1995.
His legal team said a psychologist who testified that black men were more likely to pose a future public threat could have influenced the sentencing.
Buck had been scheduled to face a lethal injection on Thursday evening.
His guilt is not being questioned, but his lawyers appealed on the basis that a new sentencing hearing was necessary because the jury was unfairly influenced.
Buck praised God upon hearing of the stay of execution, according to Texas Department of Justice spokesman Jason Clark.
“Praise the Lord, God is worthy to be praised. God’s mercy triumphs over judgment. I feel good,” he told Mr Clark.
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Article courtesy bbc.co.uk
