Lawyer’s diagnosis delay the first federal execution of a women in decades

There has been a delay in execution of Lisa Montgomery who is set to be the first woman to be charged with the federal death penalty in decades. The lawyers have been caught with Covid 19; hence there has been a delay in preparing the clemency application

As per the order of the court which debars the federal government to execute Montgomery before this year’s end. Hence, the decision has paved the way for her lawyers namely Amy Harwell and Kelley Henry to file and prepare a petition for commuted sentence as per the protocol. 

For the time being, the court has given sufficient time to stay the execution so that the two lawyers can recover as well as sufficiently prepare the paperwork needed for the same. 

However, the two lawyers have to put forth their final saying by Dec. 24 stating whether they would be able to fulfill the petition or not without any assistance.

Earlier the court has ruled about giving lethal injection on Dec. 8 in Indiana. If it would happen, it will be the first of its kind in almost 70 years. 

Montgomery has been charged of strangling a woman from Missouri who was pregnant with 8 months and departing with her eight months old child who later survived.

In their lawsuit, Harwell and Henry have said that due to the schedule of execution during pandemic, they had no chance but to travel during pandemic where they caught the virus as a result

Since, they had to travel from Nashville to Texas despite the strict guidelines given by the centre to follow preventive guidelines for the same. 

The lawsuit which was filed has said that the execution was initiated abruptly in the middle of the pandemic.