The Idaho Supreme Court dismissed an appeal Tuesday evening from prisoner Thomas Creech, which would seem to clear yet another hurdle for the state to end the life of its longest-serving member of death row.
But that plan was complicated earlier in the day when a federal judge said at a hearing that he would issue a stay of execution for Creech, because the state’s high court had yet to rule on the appeal, which relied on similar legal arguments.
Creech was scheduled to be put to death next week after a prior attempt to do so earlier this year failed.
An Idaho Department of Correction spokesperson told the Idaho Statesman by email that the prison system was aware of the verbal stay in court, but was awaiting the judge’s written order to take any action.
