Steven Shelton is willing and able to donate a kidney to his mother. There's only one problem - he's supposed to be executed first.

Shelton is scheduled to die on April 5. Vesta Shelton, 62, said Wednesday that doctors told her the soonest she can receive a transplant is April 11.State officials have said they don't know anything about the transplant date. But it's unlikely the death sentence will be carried out April 5 because Shelton still is filing appeals, said his attorney, Joseph Gabay.

Shelton, 29, his brother Nelson, 27, and their cousin Jack F. Outten Jr., 28, were sentenced to die for the beating death of Wilson Man-non Jr. in 1992.

The mother had a kidney transplant more than seven years ago, but the kidney started deteriorating in November 1993. She has been spending three days a week on dialysis.

Nelson Shelton - who is scheduled to die March 17 - first offered his kidney to his mother, but doctors said he was not a compatible donor. Then Steven stepped forward.

Mrs. Shelton said doctors told her about two weeks ago that Steven would be her donor.

"Stevie is happy as a lark. He's ready to go," Mrs. Shelton said in a telephone interview from her home in Wilmington.

Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.