The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of the Georgia death row prisoner Troy Davis. The decision came less than two hours before Davis was set to be killed Tuesday night. An African American, Davis was convicted for the 1989 killing of a white police officer, Mark Allen McPhail. But since the trial, seven of the nine non-police witnesses have recanted their testimony. There is no direct physical evidence tying Davis to the crime scene. And three witnesses claim another man later admitted to the killing. The stay is in effect until Monday, when the Supreme Court will decide whether to hear Davis’s appeal for a new trial. If the Court refuses, Georgia would be free to proceed with Davis’s execution. If the appeal is granted, Davis’s execution would remain on hold until the Supreme Court makes a final ruling. Davis’s case has been championed by a grassroots effort led by his sister, Martina Correia. They’ve drawn supporters including former President Jimmy Carter, Congress member John Lewis, and the South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu.