Execution Stayed for Mississippi Man

Willie ManningFrom the Innocence Project - The Mississippi Supreme Court granted death row inmate Willie Manning a stay of execution four hours before he was scheduled to die by lethal injection. Mississippi’s highest court voted to halt the execution on a vote of 8-1. The Innocence Project had called for the stay so that Manning could have an opportunity to do DNA testing that might prove his innocence in the deaths of Jon Steckler and Tiffany Miller.

In the days leading up to his execution, the FBI sent several letters to the state noting that there were flaws in both the hair and ballistics evidence that was used to convict Manning. The FBI also agreed to do the DNA testing. The Innocence Project’s action alert generated more than 26,000 messages to Governor Phil Bryant asking that he stay the execution and order testing in Manning’s case.

Read a copy of the stay of execution order (PDF).