A small media buzz is developing around the pending execution of Darold Ray Stenson. An exotic bird rancher by trade, the Callalam County resident was convicted in 1993 of killing his wife and business partner.

Stenson was to meet his maker on December 3, but two judges have now stayed the execution order.

You can read here more about the legal arguments in the last-minute appeals.

For his part, Stenson has long maintained his innocence in the slayings, though he apparently instructed his counsel not to appeal to Gov. Gregoire for clemency (an anti-death penalty group has subsequently done so on his behalf).

Should Stemson die for the crimes he is convicted of committing? Should Gov. Gregoire commute his sentence to life in prison?