The Supreme Court today blocked the execution of a Texas killer whose lawyers argued that he should not be put to death because he is mentally ill, the Associated Press reports. Scott Louis Panetti shot his in-laws to death 15 years ago in front of his wife and young daughter. Panetti knows what he did, but believes that he is on death row because he preaches the word of God, his attorneys say.
Panetti’s lawyers wanted the court to determine that people who cannot understand the connection between their crime and punishment because of mental illness may not be executed. The Supreme Court ruling was issued as the justices recessed formal proceedings until October.
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/28/AR2007062800886.html