Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia stayed the upcoming execution of Edward Bell, scheduled for April 8, 2008. In so doing, the governor issued a statement staying other executions and noting the U.S. Supreme Court’s consideration of the lethal injection issue (Baze v. Rees). The statement also remarked on the disruption that the setting of an execution date can cause:

In order to await the Supreme Court’s ruling in Baze, and respecting the national legal consensus that no execution go forward until that time, I grant a temporary reprieve of the execution date for Edward Nathaniel Bell, currently scheduled for April 8, until July 24, 2008. This temporary reprieve will allow for issuance of the Supreme Court decision and consideration of whether its outcome has any effect upon the merits of Mr. Bell’s legal claims or request for clemency.

Stays in the final hours before an execution can take an emotional and physical toll on those who must prepare for the execution, including the family members of the victim or victims. In order to provide guidance to courts, litigants and the public, it is my intention, for the reasons expressed here, to grant a temporary delay of any execution date in Virginia that has been set after the conclusion of federal habeas corpus review and that is scheduled to occur before the Baze decision is rendered, unless the Supreme Court, by other ruling or action, specifies that executions may commence once again.

(Statement of Gov. Kaine, April 1, 2008). See Lethal Injection.