An Alabama state judge has ordered a mental health evaluation to determine if a man on death row, with a history of mental illness, is fit for execution.
The judge has halted the scheduled execution of David Lee Roberts to assess if he comprehends the situation. The decision is pending until his rational understanding is verified.
Marion County Circuit Judge Talmage Lee Carter stated in the July 10 order that the assessment will be delayed until a report from the Alabama Department of Mental Health is completed.
Roberts, convicted of murdering Annetra Jones in 1992, was to be executed by nitrogen gas. His lawyers argue that his severe mental illness justifies suspending the death sentence.
The appointed competency evaluation is underway as per the state’s request for expedited action.
The U.S. Supreme Court prohibits executing individuals who are insane and lack awareness of their impending execution and its rationale.
In 1992, Roberts, aged 59, fatally shot Jones in a series of violent events that led to his conviction for capital murder.
Despite a jury’s recommendation of life imprisonment without parole, a judge sentenced Roberts to death, as Alabama’s laws used to allow such judicial overrides.