Appeals Court Panel Blocks Execution of Louisiana Man
A federal appeals court Friday blocked the execution of a man scheduled to die early today for killing a woman who police said was involved with him in an embezzling scheme.
The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued the stay about 13 hours before Sterling Rault Jr., 34, was to die in the electric chair. The three-judge panel asked attorneys to submit additional briefs.
Rault had been sentenced to die for the 1982 slaying of Jane Ellen Francioni of Slidell. The two had worked at a company for which Rault served as an assistant comptroller and Francioni worked as a secretary. Testimony at Rault’s trial disclosed that he embezzled company funds and that Francioni was implicated in the scheme.
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