USA - Missouri. The Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals stayed the execution of Allen Nicklasson, 41, White

The Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals voted 2-1to stay the execution of Allen Nicklasson, 41, White. Nicklasson's execution was set for 12.01 a.m. tomorrow. The court will examine Nicklasson's claim of ineffective representation. The state has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Nicklasson was found guilty of murder for the August 1994 shooting of motorist Richard Drummond, who stopped on a highway to help Nicklasson and two other men whose car had broken down. Co-defendant Dennis Skillicorn was executed in 2009. Another co-defendant, Tim DeGraffenreid, was 17 at the time. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a reduced sentence. Nicklasson and Skillicorn were also convicted of killing an Arizona couple while they were on the run after killing Drummond.