judge stays execution of hate crime killer

Last week in Pittsburgh, a judge indefinitely delayed the execution of Richard Baumhammers, who was convicted of killing five people during a racially-motivated shooting rampage: Execution stayed for Western Pa. man who killed 6.

Baumhammers was to be executed March 18. Allegheny County Court Judge Jeffrey Manning stayed that execution yesterday after Baumhammers' attorney filed notice of a new appeal. Gov. Rendell signed a death warrant in January.

Prosecutors said Baumhammers, who is white, was motivated by religious and racial animosity. He was convicted in the April 2000 shooting deaths of Anita Gordon, Anil Thakur, Ji-Ye "Jerry" Sun, Thao Q. Pham and Garry Duane Lee.

He was sentenced to death for killing the five victims who died outright. The sixth, Sandip Patel, was left paralyzed and died of complications related to quadriplegia in 2007. More here: Baumhammers granted stay of execution.