Federal judge grants stay of execution to MD. death row inmate
US District Judge Peter Messitte has granted an indefinite stay of execution to convicted murderer Stephen Howard Oken because Oken was prejudiced by Maryland's "late, last-minute production" of its execution procedures. Judge Messitte wrote that "fundamental fairness, if not due process, requires that the execution protocol that will regulate an inmate's death be forwarded to him in a prompt and timely fashion." Judge Messitte gave the state 48 hours to turn over its amended execution manual, which should have been made available to Oken's attorneys in May. [more] and [more]