Inmate Ruled Incompetent for Death Penalty in South Carolina Case
A South Carolina inmate, John Richard Wood, convicted of murdering a state trooper over 25 years ago, has been deemed unable to face the death penalty due to his mental illness, which has led him to believe he is immortal.
Judge Grace Nee, after considering insights from three mental health professionals, concluded that the 59-year-old Wood cannot effectively communicate with his attorney or grasp the reality of his crime and the associated consequences. This finding was reported by both WSPA and the South Carolina Daily Gazette.
Experts from both the prosecution and Wood’s defense agreed that he does not satisfy the legal criteria to be deemed competent for capital punishment.
In her ruling, the judge supported Wood’s lawyer’s claim that his significant struggles with schizophrenia render him incapable of facing the death penalty at this point.
The South Carolina Supreme Court will review this ruling to determine whether it should be upheld or reversed.
During a hearing in March, it was revealed by a mental health expert that Wood believes he has already died three times while on death row and that he would resurrect if the state attempted to execute him.
Wood also claims to have received a pardon from the state’s Governor, Henry McMaster.
While experts acknowledged the gravity of Wood’s sentence, they mentioned that he mistakenly thought law enforcement was trying to frame him for a violent crime.
Moreover, Wood is convinced that the judge and court officials conspired against him during his trial because he represented what he calls “our beloved Kevin Rudolph,” whom he believes is involved in a larger cosmic struggle.
He even asserts that he has been granted wings and immortality to aid him in this supposed battle.
Interestingly, he is the first inmate in South Carolina to be found incompetent for the death penalty since the state resumed executions in September 2024, following a significant hiatus due to issues with obtaining lethal injection drugs.
During that hiatus, the firing squad was added as an option for execution.
Since the resumption of the death penalty, seven executions have taken place in South Carolina, with three inmates opting for the firing squad.
Wood was convicted in December 2000 for killing State Trooper Eric Nicholson during a traffic stop in Greenville County, where he allegedly fired five shots at the officer. During the chase that followed, Wood shot at police, injuring an officer, and was ultimately apprehended after hijacking a truck.
He was sentenced to death in February 2002 and was one of the inmates awaiting a death warrant after exhausting his appeals.
While the execution order is still pending, Wood’s initial conviction and sentence remain in effect.
