A significant legal development has unfolded in the case of Scott Panetti, a 65-year-old man suffering from chronic schizophrenia who had been sentenced to death in Texas for a double murder. The U.S. District Court has blocked Panetti’s execution, citing his severe mental illness and inability to rationally comprehend the state’s reasons for his execution.
Scott Panetti had been condemned to death in 1995 for the tragic shooting of his estranged wife’s parents in September 1992. Dressed in camouflage, he broke into their home and fatally shot them before taking his wife and three-year-old daughter hostage overnight and eventually surrendering to the police. Panetti had a long history of hospitalisation due to hallucinations and psychotic episodes leading up to the murders.
Following a three-day evidentiary hearing that concluded on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman made the decision to block Panetti’s execution. Judge Pitman stated, “It is undisputed that Panetti is severely mentally ill, suffering from chronic schizophrenia for over forty years. Panetti’s mental illness prevents him from rationally understanding the state’s reasons for executing him.” This ruling is based on the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment outlined in the Eighth Amendment.
Panetti’s attorney, Gregory Wiercioch, welcomed the court’s decision, emphasising that it prevents Texas from exacting vengeance on a person suffering from severe schizophrenia. He noted, “The Eighth Amendment bars the execution of people who, like Mr. Panetti, are severely mentally ill and do not understand the reason for their punishment.”
Throughout his lengthy legal battle, Panetti garnered support from various quarters, including the Mental Health America advocacy organization, psychiatrists, former judges, prosecutors, and religious groups. Even the European Union urged Texas authorities to grant Panetti clemency.
During his trial, Panetti acted as his own attorney, dressed in a burgundy cowboy outfit, and attempted to call Pope John Paul II, John F. Kennedy, and Jesus as witnesses. While individual U.S. states determine whether to implement the death penalty, the Supreme Court had ruled in 1986 to prohibit the execution of the mentally ill.
