Commonwealth Court Judge Bonnie Leadbetter granted a stay of execution yesterday until the Pennsylvania Supreme Court can review an appeal to save George E. Banks' life.

The stay of execution came after the Commonwealth Court heard an argument Monday from the inmate's mother, Mary Yelland, that he was mentally unfit to seek clemency.

People across the area, including several protesters, are preparing for Pennsylvania's fourth execution since the state reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

Only a reprieve from the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court can stop the execution.

Abe Amoros, spokesman for Gov. Ed Rendell, said he expected the decision from the Supreme Court last night. At press time, the court had not reached a decision.

The reprieve was welcomed by the defense lawyers, even though it is based on what the Supreme Court will do.

The State Correctional Institution at Rockview is the only place that carries out executions in Pennsylvania.

Workers at the prison are ready for the execution, which was originally scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. tomorrow.

Banks, 62, would be put to death by lethal injection.

Jeffrey Rackovan, public information officer at Rockview, said the last execution at Rockview was in 1998.

"Every execution brings some interest both locally and nationally," Rackovan said. "We're expecting media, especially from Wilkes-Barre, where the crimes took place."

Banks was convicted of murdering 13 people on Sept. 25, 1982.

Among the victims were five of Banks' children, who ranged from age 1 to age 6.

"We're going to have a special area roped off for the protesters so they can feel like they're involved and part of the process," Rackovan said, "but at
the same time, so they're not going to interfere with what we have to do."

Kurt Rosenberg, a field organizer for Pennsylvania Abolitionists United Against the Death Penalty, said there are members of the group who are expected to protest, but he is unsure of the number of people who will be at Rockview.

"We're opposed to all executions because we don't feel the state has the right to take the life of any individual," he said.

Rosenberg said activists are planning to call Rendell's office all day today in an attempt for the execution to be halted.

In addition, he said there would be anti-capital-punishment demonstrations in Bethlehem, Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

"It's in the hands of the governor and the state and federal courts now," Rosenberg said. "But I'm confident that the execution will be stopped and that reason will prevail."

Rosenberg said Banks' severe mental illnesses have been well documented and that he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, depression and personality disorders.

"Clearly, this man is not aware of what is happening to him, and as a civil society, we shouldn't be putting someone to death with tax dollars," Rosenberg said.

Rackovan said the institution is ready to carry out the execution if they do not hear about a last minute delay from the courts.

"As far as the institution is concerned, it's just an issue of waiting and carrying out all of the procedures," Rackovan said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.