Execution at Bonne Terre Prison is Halted

(Bonne Terre) A federal judge has halted next week’s scheduled execution at the Bonne Terre prison of convicted killer Michael Tisius.

Judge Stephen Bough ruled Wednesday that the execution cannot go forward until a hearing is conducted on whether a juror during Tisius’ trial should’ve been excluded.

The Kansas City Star reports the unidentified juror did not know how to read or write, which is required by Missouri law for anyone to be able to serve on a jury.

A hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Tisius was sentenced to death for fatally shooting two unarmed corrections officers in Randolph County in 2000 during an attempted jail escape.