Court Stops Scheduled Execution: AP writer Michael Graczyk reports that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stopped the scheduled execution of convicted killer Bobby Wayne Woods today after lawyers raised new claims that the 42-year-old man is mentally retarded and ineligible for the death penalty. Woods had been set to die this evening for the 1997 slaying of his ex-girlfriend's 11-year-old daughter. He had abducted her and her brother from their home in Granbury, a city southwest of Fort Worth. Two of the court's judges, Sharon Keller and Lawrence Meyers, voted to deny the reprieve, which was issued more than six hours before Woods could have been taken to the death chamber. Woods would have been the second Texas prisoner executed this week and 13th this year.

Mom Gets 25 Years in Prison in Beheading Murder of Toddler Daughter: An AP story reports that a Kansas judge handed down a 25-year prison sentence for the mother of a 3-year-old girl who was beheaded and for years was known only as "Precious Doe." Michelle Johnson pleaded guilty last year to second-degree murder for her role in the 2001 killing of her daughter, Erica Green. Johnson's boyfriend at the time, Harrell Johnson, whom she later married, was convicted of first-degree murder earlier this month in the Kansas City slaying. He faces a life sentence. Our October 8th News Scan reported that although "Precious Doe" had been killed in 2001, it took 4 years to identify her body.

Police Officer Shoves Finger in Gun to Stop It Being Fired at His Colleagues: A story from the FOX News reports on a story in today's Australia's Herald Sun. The story claims that a policeman’s finger stopped the officer's gun from being fired at his colleagues. The gun had been seized by a man they were trying to arrest. Apparently, James Lyle Rakatau fled police as they attempted to arrest him. Senior detectives Matthew Flood, Travis Merlo and Adam Radley gave chase until Flood tackled Rakatau as he tried to climb a fence. In the struggle, Rakatau seized Flood's gun. Flood got both hands on the revolver and held the cylinder so it wouldn't spin and fire. It was only Flood's index finger that stopped the weapon firing as Rakatau tried a number of times to pull the trigger.