US Judge Blocks Federal Execution Over Virus Fears of Victims' Family

A U.S. federal judge issued an injunction on Friday stopping what would have been the first execution of a federal prisoner in 17 years from being carried out on Monday after the victims' family sued saying they feared that attending could expose them to COVID-19.

Daniel Lewis Lee was convicted of killing three members of an Arkansas family in 1996, but some relatives of his victims opposed him receiving the death sentence.

The relatives said they had a right to attend the execution if it took place, but sued the Department of Justice in the U.S. district court in Indianapolis to block the execution until the coronavirus pandemic has passed. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Sandra Maler)