Supreme Court declines, but execution gets last-minute stay

[cali]

The US Supreme Court and Georgia State Supreme Court both declined to stay the execution of Warren Lee Hill, but the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the execution to see if he is mentally disabled.

The execution of a Georgia man who killed a fellow prisoner in 1990 was halted Tuesday at the last minute so courts could consider claims that he's mentally disabled and other issues.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted its stay of execution as 52-year-old Warren Lee Hill was being prepared for lethal injection. In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the appeals court said further review is needed of recent affidavits by doctors who changed their minds about Hill's mental capacity.

"In other words, all of the experts — both the State's and the petitioner's — now appear to be in agreement that Hill is in fact mentally retarded," judges in the majority wrote in their order.

<snip>

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0220/Supreme-Court-declines-but-execution-gets-last-minute-stay

[BainsBane]

1. the stay by the state court is for different grounds

It has to do with the method of lethal injection. The federal court is examining new evidence on Hill's mental state, as your above article indicates.

[Cali_Democrat]

2. Putting to death the mentally disabled is what Nazi Germany used to do

I have no doubt this man will eventually be executed even though he likely is mentally disabled.

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Are you convinced that he is mentally disabled?

A man who was mentally able enough to hold down a job and pay rent for an apartment?

A man who served in the Navy and was promoted?

Or is he just a little slow, but still intellectually capable of understanding the wrongness and consequences of murder?