Georgia execution delayed for hearing under new law that may reduce sentence

In a dramatic turn of events, a Georgia judge has temporarily halted the scheduled execution of Stacey Humphreys, a man convicted of the 2003 murders of two real estate agents. Judge Tyler Browning issued the stay of execution late Tuesday, allowing Humphreys to present a hearing under the newly enacted Georgia Survivor Justice Act. This law grants survivors of abuse the opportunity to have their sentences reconsidered.

Humphreys, 53, was convicted of the brutal killings of Cyndi Williams, 33, and Lori Brown, 21, in an Atlanta suburb. The judge ruled that while the law may seem more logical when applied to abuse victims who commit crimes against their abusers, the language of the law does not restrict its use to such cases. Humphreys' defense attorney, Brian Kammer, testified that his client was a survivor of severe family violence and childhood abuse.

He was subjected to years of physical and emotional abuse, including beatings, whippings, burns with cigarettes, burns to his skull, and exposure to drug and alcohol abuse. Experts testified that these abuses significantly damaged Humphreys' mental health and contributed to his criminal behavior.

The state attorney general's office, represented by Sabrina Graham, argued that the law was not intended for death row inmates like Humphreys. They contended that the law's purpose is to protect survivors of childhood exposure to childhood family violence and child abuse. The statute specifies that a hearing should be granted unless there are significant issues with the reliability of the facts presented or a lack of supporting evidence.

If the court finds that Humphreys was subjected to abuse that significantly contributed to his crime, he should be resentenced to a prison term of 10 to 30 years. The state intends to appeal the judge's decision to the Georgia Supreme Court in hopes of resuming the execution process.