US SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

U.S. Supreme Court

Cole v. Texas, 499 U.S. 1301 (1991)

Cole v. Texas

No. A-704

Decided March 18, 1991

499 U.S. 1301

ON APPLICATION FOR STAY OF EXECUTION OF SENTENCE OF DEATH

JUSTICE SCALIA, Circuit Justice.

I have before me an application for a stay of execution pending disposition of a petition for writ of certiorari to the Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas. The petitioner seeks direct review of the judgment of the Texas courts affirming his death sentence.

I will in this case, and in every capital case on direct review, grant a stay of execution pending disposition by this Court of the petition for certiorari. While I will not extend the time for filing a petition beyond an established execution date, see Madden v. Texas, 498 U. S. 1301 (1991) (SCALIA, J., in chambers), neither will I permit the State's execution date to interfere with the orderly processing of a petition on direct review by this Court.

It is so ordered.