Execution delayed for only woman on federal death row

U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss said that the Justice Department broke the law when it rescheduled the execution of the only woman on federal death row last month, potentially pushing her execution into Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's new administration.

This report produced by Jillian Kitchener.

A U.S. federal judge has further delayed the execution of the only woman on federal death row.

The judge said the Justice Department broke the law when it rescheduled convicted murderer Lisa Montgomery’s execution date to January 12th.

Montgomery was convicted in 2007 of kidnapping and strangling a pregnant woman to death in Missouri.

Montgomery’s lawyers say their client has long suffered from severe mental illness and was the victim of sexual assault.

In November, the federal judge gave her lawyers until Dec.

24 to file the clemency request and granted Montgomery a stay of execution until Dec.

31.

Then, the Bureau of Prisons announced it was rescheduling her execution to Jan.

12, 2021.

But the judge on Thursday sided with Montgomery's lawyers, who argued that federal regulations bar the Bureau from rescheduling an execution during a stay period.

Montgomery’s execution could now be pushed back until after President-elect Joe Biden - who opposes the death penalty - takes office.