Georgia death row inmate argues childhood trauma should reduce his sentence

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Attorneys for a Georgia death row inmate argue that his childhood trauma should qualify him for a reduced sentence.

Stacey Ian Humphreys was convicted in the 2003 murders of Cobb County real estate agents Cyndi Williams and Lori Brown. Humphreys is currently scheduled to die by lethal injection on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

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The Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole will hold a clemency hearing on Tuesday morning for Humphreys. There is also a separate hearing scheduled Tuesday afternoon in Cobb County for a new motion filed by his attorneys on Monday.

The request to stay his execution is tied to the Georgia Survivor Justice Act, which was passed and signed into law in 2025.

The act allows family violence and child abuse survivors who have been convicted to introduce evidence that ties their abuse to their crimes.

Humphreys’ attorneys argue that if the Court rules that his childhood abuse was a “significant contributing factor” to the malice murder charge, then his death sentence must be reduced.

“Mr. Humphreys respectfully requests that this Court stay his execution and allow a hearing at which he may have the opportunity to prove his eligibility for a reduced sentence,” his attorneys wrote in the motion.