<P> A stay of execution is a court order to temporarily suspend the execution of a court judgment or other court order . The word "execution" does not necessarily mean the death penalty; it refers to the imposition of whatever judgment is being stayed . </P> <P> A stay can be granted automatically by operation of law or conventionally, when the parties in a civil or criminal case agree that no execution shall occur for a certain period . If a party appeals a decision, any judgment issued by the original court may be stayed until the appeal is resolved . </P> <P> In cases where the death penalty has been imposed, a stay of execution is often sought to defer the execution of the convicted person . This may occur if new evidence is discovered that will exonerate the convicted person or in attempts to have the sentence commuted to life imprisonment . In the United States, all death sentences are automatically stayed pending a direct review by an appeals court . If the death sentence is found to have been legally sound, the stay is lifted . </P> <P> One example of a stay of execution in the death penalty context was the James Autry case . Autry was already strapped down to the execution table in Texas on October 4, 1983 when the order came to stop the execution . He was executed a few months later, on March 14, 1984 . </P>

It refers to the act of the president of staying the execution of a convict
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