Texas death row inmate with 40-year mental illness history ruled not competent to be executed

By JUAN A. LOZANO
Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge has ruled a Texas death row inmate with a long history of mental illness is not competent to be executed. Scott Panetti has been on death row for nearly 30 years for fatally shooting his in-laws in front of his wife and young children. Panetti has contended Texas wants to execute him to cover up incest, corruption, sexual abuse and drug trafficking he has uncovered. He previously had tried to call Jesus Christ and John F. Kennedy as trial witnesses. In a ruling issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin said Panetti’s well-documented mental illness prevents him from understanding the reason for his execution.