The planned execution of death row inmates in Alabama has been postponed as the state awaits a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation to be completed.
A judge had previously upheld the execution date for David Lee Roberts on August 21, pending assessment of his mental competency. However, the Alabama Department of Corrections announced on Friday that this report won’t be ready in time for the scheduled execution.
“Consequently, the department anticipates that the execution set for August 21 will not take place,” a prison official stated in a press release. “Thus, all preparations for Mr. Roberts’ execution have been paused.”
Roberts, who is 59, was supposed to be executed using nitrogen gas, a method adopted by Alabama last year. He was convicted in 1992 for the murder of Anetra Jones.
A lawyer representing him has argued for a halt to the death sentence, citing severe mental health issues. Roberts suffers from paranoid schizophrenia—his lawyer indicated he experiences delusions, even claiming to hear voices. In a troubling episode, Roberts attempted to remove tattoos from his arms, believing it would help him “control his thoughts.”
Back in 1992, Roberts was staying at a boyfriend’s house for Jones when he committed the crime. Prosecutors have stated that he entered the home on April 22, packed up belongings, and shot Jones three times in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while she slept on the couch. Afterward, he reportedly covered her body with flammable liquid and set the house ablaze.
The jury convicted Roberts of capital murder but had initially recommended a sentence of life in prison without parole, which the judge ultimately overturned, sentencing him to death. Notably, Alabama has since changed its laws to prevent judges from altering jury recommendations in such cases.
This year in the U.S., 28 executions have occurred, with at least nine more planned in seven different states. The total number of executions carried out this year has surpassed 25, which is the highest since 2015 when 28 executions took place.
