Convicted murderer William Morva will not be executed on Tuesday, October 21st as previously scheduled.
Doug Robelen, the Chief Deputy Clerk with the Virginia Supreme Court tells WSLS that Morva's attorney, Tony Anderson, filed a motion asking for an extension with the court back on September 29th.
The state's highest court agreed to issue a stay of execution on October 8th, and granted Anderson, as well as Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch, an extension to file additional documents for Morva's appeal.
When WSLS called Anderson to check on the appeal, he told us that the Virginia Supreme Court issued the stay of execution a week or two ago.
Under Virginia law, all death penalty convictions receive an automatic appeal to the state Supreme Court. Morva's appeal has not been heard yet.
A jury convicted Morva of capital murder back in March, for the killings of Montgomery County Sheriff's Corporal Eric Supthin and Montgomery County Regional Hospital security guard Derrick McFarland. Jurors recommended the death penalty.
The judge in the case agreed with the jury's recommendation in June. Under Virginia law, once a jury recommends the death penalty, a judge has only two options: 1.) Agree with the jury's recommendation; or 2.) Sentence the convicted to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A criminal justice professor that WSLS spoke with after Morva's sentencing believes Anderson will likely focus on whether Morva's constitutional rights were violated during the trial.
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