Texas man who shot daughters gets last-minute stay of execution

This undated handout photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows John David Battaglia. Enraged over his ex-wife going to police about his repeated harassment and likely arrest, Battaglia used a May 2001 visit with their two young daughters to avenge his anger. As their mother helplessly listened on the phone to one of the girls’ cries, he fatally shot them both at his Dallas apartment. On Wednesday, March 30, 2016, Battaglia was set for lethal injection for the slayings but got a reprieve. AP

WASHINGTON, United States — An appeals court in the US state of Texas issued a last-minute stay of execution Wednesday for a man convicted of murdering his two young daughters in an act of revenge.

John Battaglia, 60, was scheduled to die by lethal injection at 6:00 pm (2300 GMT), until the process was halted just hours ahead of time.

The former accountant shot dead his six- and nine-year-old daughters at his Dallas home 15 years ago, in an act of vengeance against their mother.

He arranged their murder so that his ex-wife, whom he had been put on probation for beating, was on the phone as they died.

Afterwards, he headed to a tattoo parlor where he had a design inked onto his arm in honor of his girls.

Battaglia challenged the execution, arguing that he was entitled to a new lawyer and that he suffered from mental illness.

Texas is the state that puts to death the most inmates in the United States and prosecutors are expected to push for a new execution date.