COLUMBIA, Mo.—A federal judge on Wednesday halted next week’s scheduled execution of a man convicted of killing two Missouri jailers amid questions about the literacy of a juror in the case.
U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough ruled that Michael Andrew Tisius’ execution at the state prison in Bonne Terre should be delayed to give the court time for a hearing on the juror.
The delay comes after Tisius’ lawyers earlier this month claimed a juror in his 2010 resentencing could not read or write.
Missouri law requires jurors to be able to read and speak English.
In an affidavit signed by the juror May 3, the juror stated “someone at the courthouse” helped him fill out his juror questionnaire….