ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - The Georgia Supreme Court has stayed the execution of a white supremacist just hours before he was to be put
to death.

William Mark Mize, 52, was convicted of killing one of his own
followers.

He was scheduled to die by lethal injection at 7 p.m.

Tuesday for the 1994 murder of Eddie Tucker, who was shot to death
after he failed to burn down what Mize considered to be a crack
house in Athens.

The court issued a stay Tuesday to give the trial court judge
time to correct a technical problem.

Chief Judge Lawton Stephens of the Western Judicial Circuit
denied Mize's request for a hearing, but did not rule on the motion
itself.

The top court's stay will expire 24 hours after the judge rules.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)