Latest news with #DavidLeeRoberts
Fox News
6 days ago
- Fox News
Alabama inmate's execution stayed to determine if he is competent enough to be put to death
A judge in Alabama has issued a stay for a convicted killer's upcoming execution while state officials investigate whether he is competent enough to be put to death. David Lee Roberts, 59, was scheduled to be executed on Aug. 21 for the 1992 shooting death of Annetra Jones, but Marion County Circuit Judge Talmage Lee Carter temporarily stayed the execution until it can be determined if Roberts has a "rational understanding" of what would happen to him. "Or similarly put, the issue is whether the petitioner's concept of reality is so impaired that he cannot grasp the execution's meaning and the purpose or the link between his crime and its punishment," he wrote in the ruling. Carter said the execution will remain on hold until the Alabama Department of Mental Health concludes its report on Roberts. Roberts was set to die by nitrogen gas, a controversial method Alabama began using last year when convicted killer Kenneth Smith was executed in January 2024. Attorneys representing Roberts argue that his death sentence should be suspended because he has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Roberts' attorneys said in a court filing that he hears voices and is delusional, adding that he also recently attempted to burn tattoos off his arm and leg because he believed they "are trying to control his thoughts." "This evidence demonstrates Mr. Roberts is incompetent to be executed because his delusions prevent him from having a factual or rational understanding of the reason," his attorneys said. The Alabama attorney general's office is not appealing the stay, although the state has asked that the competency evaluation be expedited. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot execute inmates who are insane and do not understand their upcoming execution and the reasons for it, but Alabama law does not provide a clear standard on what courts must find in evaluating a person's competency to be executed. Roberts murdered Jones in Marion County on April 22, 1992, while he was staying at a house her boyfriend lived in. Prosecutors said Roberts arrived at the home, packed his belongings, stole money and shot Jones three times in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while she was sleeping on the couch. He then poured flammable liquid on her body and the floor and set the house on fire. Jurors convicted him of capital murder and voted 7-5 that he receive life in prison without parole. However, a judge overrode that recommendation and sentenced him to death. Alabama no longer allows judges to override jury sentences in capital cases.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Judge stays execution to evaluate if Alabama inmate is competent
US Execution Alabama A state judge has stayed an upcoming execution in Alabama to evaluate whether the man is too mentally ill to be put to death. The judge temporarily stayed the Aug. 21 execution of David Lee Roberts until it can be established whether he has a 'rational understanding' of what is to happen to him. 'Or similarly put, the issue is whether the petitioner's concept of reality is so impaired that he cannot grasp the execution's meaning and the purpose or the link between his crime and its punishment,' Marion County Circuit Judge Talmage Lee Carter wrote in the July 10 order. Carter said the execution will be on hold until a report from the Alabama Department of Mental Health is finished. It is not immediately clear how long that will take. Roberts was convicted of killing Annetra Jones in 1992 by shooting her in the head. His execution was scheduled to be carried out by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year. Attorneys representing Roberts argue that his death sentence should be suspended due to severe illness. Roberts has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis, hears voices and is delusional, they said in a court filing. He also recently attempted to burn tattoos off his arm and leg because he believed they 'are trying to control his thoughts,' his lawyers said. 'This evidence demonstrates Mr. Roberts is incompetent to be executed because his delusions prevent him from having a factual or rational understanding of the reason,' they said. The Alabama attorney general's office is not appealing the stay. The state asked that the competency evaluation by expedited. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot execute prisoners who are insane and do not understand their impending execution and the reasons for it. However state law does not provide a clear standard on what courts must find in determining someone's competency to be executed. In 1992, Roberts, now 59, was a houseguest at Jones' boyfriend's home in Marion County. Prosecutors said that on the afternoon of April 22, he came to the home, packed his belongings, stole money and shot Jones three times in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while she slept on the couch. He then set the house on fire after dousing Jones' body and the floor with a flammable liquid, prosecutors said. Jurors convicted Roberts of capital murder and voted 7-5 to recommend that he receive life in prison without parole. A judge overrode that and sentenced him to death. Alabama no longer allows judges to override jury sentences in capital cases.
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Judge stays execution to evaluate if Alabama inmate is competent
A state judge has stayed an upcoming execution in Alabama to evaluate whether the man is too mentally ill to be put to death. The judge temporarily stayed the Aug. 21 execution of David Lee Roberts until it can be established whether he has a 'rational understanding' of what is to happen to him. 'Or similarly put, the issue is whether the petitioner's concept of reality is so impaired that he cannot grasp the execution's meaning and the purpose or the link between his crime and its punishment,' Marion County Circuit Judge Talmage Lee Carter wrote in the July 10 order. Carter said the execution will be on hold until a report from the Alabama Department of Mental Health is finished. It is not immediately clear how long that will take. Roberts was convicted of killing Annetra Jones in 1992 by shooting her in the head. His execution was scheduled to be carried out by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year. Attorneys representing Roberts argue that his death sentence should be suspended due to severe illness. Roberts has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis, hears voices and is delusional, they said in a court filing. He also recently attempted to burn tattoos off his arm and leg because he believed they 'are trying to control his thoughts,' his lawyers said. 'This evidence demonstrates Mr. Roberts is incompetent to be executed because his delusions prevent him from having a factual or rational understanding of the reason,' they said. The Alabama attorney general's office is not appealing the stay. The state asked that the competency evaluation by expedited. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot execute prisoners who are insane and do not understand their impending execution and the reasons for it. However state law does not provide a clear standard on what courts must find in determining someone's competency to be executed. In 1992, Roberts, now 59, was a houseguest at Jones' boyfriend's home in Marion County. Prosecutors said that on the afternoon of April 22, he came to the home, packed his belongings, stole money and shot Jones three times in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while she slept on the couch. He then set the house on fire after dousing Jones' body and the floor with a flammable liquid, prosecutors said. Jurors convicted Roberts of capital murder and voted 7-5 to recommend that he receive life in prison without parole. A judge overrode that and sentenced him to death. Alabama no longer allows judges to override jury sentences in capital cases.
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Associated Press
Judge stays execution to evaluate if Alabama inmate is competent
A state judge has stayed an upcoming execution in Alabama to evaluate whether the man is too mentally ill to be put to death. The judge temporarily stayed the Aug. 21 execution of David Lee Roberts until it can be established whether he has a 'rational understanding' of what is to happen to him. 'Or similarly put, the issue is whether the petitioner's concept of reality is so impaired that he cannot grasp the execution's meaning and the purpose or the link between his crime and its punishment,' Marion County Circuit Judge Talmage Lee Carter wrote in the July 10 order. Carter said the execution will be on hold until a report from the Alabama Department of Mental Health is finished. It is not immediately clear how long that will take. Roberts was convicted of killing Annetra Jones in 1992 by shooting her in the head. His execution was scheduled to be carried out by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year. Attorneys representing Roberts argue that his death sentence should be suspended due to severe illness. Roberts has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis, hears voices and is delusional, they said in a court filing. He also recently attempted to burn tattoos off his arm and leg because he believed they 'are trying to control his thoughts,' his lawyers said. 'This evidence demonstrates Mr. Roberts is incompetent to be executed because his delusions prevent him from having a factual or rational understanding of the reason,' they said. The Alabama attorney general's office is not appealing the stay. The state asked that the competency evaluation by expedited. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot execute prisoners who are insane and do not understand their impending execution and the reasons for it. However state law does not provide a clear standard on what courts must find in determining someone's competency to be executed. In 1992, Roberts, now 59, was a houseguest at Jones' boyfriend's home in Marion County. Prosecutors said that on the afternoon of April 22, he came to the home, packed his belongings, stole money and shot Jones three times in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while she slept on the couch. He then set the house on fire after dousing Jones' body and the floor with a flammable liquid, prosecutors said. Jurors convicted Roberts of capital murder and voted 7-5 to recommend that he receive life in prison without parole. A judge overrode that and sentenced him to death. Alabama no longer allows judges to override jury sentences in capital cases.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- The Independent
Alabama sets August nitrogen execution for man convicted of 1992 shooting death
Alabama has scheduled an August execution with nitrogen gas for a man convicted three decades ago of shooting a woman in the head while she slept. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey set a Aug. 21 execution date for David Lee Roberts after the Alabama Supreme Court authorized the execution. If carried out, it would be the nation's seventh execution by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year as an alternative to lethal injection. Roberts, 59, was convicted of killing Annetra Jones in 1992 while a houseguest at Jones' boyfriend's home in Marion County. There have been 25 executions so far in 2025 in the United States. Prosecutors said on the afternoon of April 22, 1992, Roberts came to the home, packed his belongings, stole money and shot Jones three times in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while she slept on the couch. Prosecutors said he poured gasoline or another flammable liquid on the floor and Jones' body and set fire to the home to hide evidence. A jury convicted Roberts of capital murder. Jurors voted 7-5 to recommend that he receive life in prison without possibility of parole. A judge overrode the recommendation and sentenced him to death. Alabama no longer allows a judge to override a jury's sentence in capital cases. The Alabama Supreme Court authorized Roberts' execution at the request of the state attorney general's office, which argued he has exhausted his appeals. Roberts' attorney had asked for a delay, arguing that Roberts, who has a paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis, is 'probably incompetent to be executed' and should have an evaluation. The U.S. Supreme Court has prohibited the execution of a prisoner who is insane and not aware of his impending execution and of the reasons for it. Roberts has a well-established history of psychotic illness, and his mental health has deteriorated after decades on Alabama's death row, his lawyer wrote. A doctor diagnosed him in February with paranoid schizophrenia. 'On February 17, 2025, an ADOC psychologist who saw Mr. Roberts cell-side noted that he was 'hearing voices,' ranting, thinking illogically, and delusional,'" a lawyer representing Roberts wrote in court filing. The state acknowledged that prison records indicate Roberts has been diagnosed with various mental illnesses but argued that doesn't mean he is incompetent. 'Roberts may well have a mental disease, but that doesn't mean he is unaware of his situation or incapable of trying to prevent his execution,' a state lawyer wrote. Last year Alabama became the first state to carry out an execution with nitrogen gas, a method that involves pumping nitrogen through a face mask and depriving the inmate of oxygen. The method has now been used in six executions — five in Alabama and one in Louisiana. Roberts selected nitrogen as his preferred execution method over the other options, lethal injection or the electric chair. He made the selection before Alabama developed procedures for the method.
