A federal petition for a writ of "habeas corpus" was filed three days before her scheduled execution, and the federal district court granted a stay of execution on December 4. Throughout the first half of 1991, evidentiary hearings were held and on May 9, the court granted relief on one of Beets's claims, but denied all others. The United States Court of Appeals upheld the decision on March 18, 1993, but also overturned the one claim that had been granted relief. The case was sent to a federal district court, and on September 2, 1998, it denied her "habeas corpus" relief. After her appeals were denied throughout 1999, an execution date was set for February 24, 2000.