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December 4, 2014

Appeals Court Stays Execution of Schizophrenic Texas Prisoner Scott Panetti 
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The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has stayed the execution of a Texas
prisoner with schizophrenia. Scott Panetti was due to be executed for
murder Wednesday, despite a lengthy history of mental illness. He
represented himself at trial and attempted to subpoena John F. Kennedy,
the pope and Jesus Christ in his defense. In a statement, his attorneys
called the ruling "the first step in a process which will clearly
demonstrate that Mr. Panetti is too severely mentally ill to be
executed."

 

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