The Governor of Texas has commuted the death sentence of a convicted murderer less than an hour before he was set to be executed.
It came after the death row inmate's family begged for mercy and won a rare clemency recommendation.
Thomas Whitaker, 38, was convicted of masterminding a 2003 plot against his family in which his mother Tricia, 51, and brother Kevin, 19, were killed. His father, Kent, was shot in the chest and survived.
A devout Christian and retired executive, Kent Whitaker, said he had forgiven his son and that his family did not want him to be executed.
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In a clemency petition, the father said it was his right as a victim to seek mercy and if the death penalty were implemented, it would make his pain worse.
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles in a unanimous decision recommended clemency based largely on his father's request.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, commuted the sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole, saying various factors influenced his decision, including the father's wishes and the board's recommendation.
"I'm thankful for this decision, not for me but for my dad. Whatever punishment I might have received or will receive will be just. I deserve any punishment for my crimes, but my dad did nothing wrong", Thomas Whitaker was quoted as saying by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
