Bredesen grants reprieve to Alley

Gov. Phil Bredesen has granted a 15-day reprieve to convicted murderer Sedley Alley, halting his scheduled Wednesday morning execution for a 1985 rape and murder.

The governor issued the reprieve eight hours before Alley was scheduled for lethal injection. If the execution had proceeded, it would have been only the second time since 1960 that Tennessee has put an inmate to death.

On Monday, the State Board of Probation and Parole voted 4-3 to recommend the governor issue a reprieve to allow further DNA testing of evidence in the brutal rape and murder of 19-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Suzanne M. Collins.

“Based on the overwhelming weight of the evidence against him, I believe Mr. Alley to be guilty of this heinous crime,” Bredesen said in a statement. “However, I am acutely aware that in capital cases mistakes cannot be corrected, and so out of respect for the board?s recommendation, I am reluctantly issuing a reprieve for 15 days.”