Georgia execution put on hold for hearing under new law that could spare inmate’s life

September 16, 2026 / 4:03 AM EDT / CBS/AP

A Georgia judge has put an execution scheduled for Wednesday on hold, saying the condemned inmate is entitled to a hearing on whether his sentence should be reduced under a new state law that allows victims of abuse to have their sentences reconsidered.

Stacey Humphreys, 53, was convicted of malice murder and other crimes in the 2003 killings of 33-year-old Cyndi Williams and 21-year-old Lori Brown. He had been scheduled to die at 7 p.m. EDT at the state prison near Jackson.

But Cobb County Superior Court Judge Tyler Browning issued a stay of execution late Tuesday to allow for a hearing provided for under the Georgia Survivor Justice Act. The law directs judges to resentence people who are in prison and to impose shorter penalties during sentencing if the person can tie their crimes to abuse they suffered.

A lawyer for the state told the judge that if he ordered a stay, they would immediately appeal in hopes of keeping the execution on track for Wednesday evening.

During a hearing Tuesday, Humphreys' lawyer, Brian Kammer, told Cobb County Superior Court Judge Tyler Browning that his client is a survivor of…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/