News Federal appeals court, calling COVID-19 threat ‘frivolous,’ rules to allow first federal execution in 17 years July 12, 2020 Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY Comments Off on Federal appeals court, calling COVID-19 threat ‘frivolous,’ rules to allow first federal execution in 17 years A federal appeals court ruled the first federal execution in 17 years should go forward Monday, overturning an injunction to spare Daniel Lewis Lee.