AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas man scheduled to be put to death Tuesday received a stay of execution from the U.S. Supreme Court.
It was granted after assertions that inmate Cleve Foster's state-appointed lawyers were ineffective and prevented him from raising claims of innocence.
"I'm thrilled that the Supreme Court stayed Mr. Foster's execution and that they will be looking at the important issues raised," said Maurie Levin, Foster's attorney.
Texas, which executes more inmates than any other state, has 30 days to respond to Foster's petition for a rehearing. The stay, Levin said, is unrelated to her concerns about the process Texas used to redesign the state's execution drug protocol.
