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Scott Panetti on remand

By Karl R. Keys, Esq.

The Supreme Court in June blocked Scott Panetti’s execution and remanded for a determination if he was competent to be executed The federal district court, Hon. Sam Sparks, in Austin, Texas mid-week issued its opinion on Panetti’s competency. “Panetti was mentally ill when he committed his crime and continues to be mentally ill today,” read Sparks’ opinion, issued Wednesday. “However, he has both a factual and rational understanding of his crime, his impending death, and the causal retributive connection between the 2. “Therefore, if any mentally ill person is competent to be executed for his crimes, this record establishes it is Scott Panetti,” Sparks wrote. In September 1992, Panetti, who had previously been hospitalized for serious schizophrenic problems, murdered his parents in-law...continue to full post

Full post as published by Capital Defense Weekly on March 27, 2008 (boomark / email).