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January 12, 2021

Federal Court Halts Execution of Lisa Montgomery, Only Woman on Federal Death Row
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A federal judge has granted Lisa Montgomery, the only woman on federal
death row, a stay of her execution scheduled for this evening. The court
ordered a hearing to determine Montgomery's mental competency to face
execution. The government has already appealed the ruling. She would
become the first woman to face federal execution in nearly 70 years.

This comes as four former corrections officers from Indiana have issued
a letter urging acting U.S. Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen to postpone
three federal executions scheduled for this week, citing safety concerns
due to COVID-19. The letter, released alongside the American Civil
Liberties Union, says executions at Terre Haute have led to a spike in
coronavirus cases among prisoners and staff. Two men scheduled for
execution later this week - Dustin Higgs and Cory Johnson - recently
contracted COVID-19.


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