Although Texas is known for being the state with the most death row executions, the state’s top criminal court recently called off an execution of a man just days before it was scheduled. The court’s decision certainly left people scratching their heads, but the reasoning behind it was not explained right away.
The death row inmate has been linked to five different killings in Houston. He was sentenced to death after being convicted of fatally stabbing twin girls and their mother, and is also associated with the deaths of a grocery store owner and a prostitute.
The defendant’s attorneys, one of which is Mandy Miller, submitted an appeal pointing to possible mental impairments and other DNA evidence that could indicate the involvement of a second person. The defendant’s supposed mental incompetence is evidenced by his decision to waive his rights to an attorney during the interrogation process. Attorney Mandy Miller said that although they weren’t aware of the court’s reasoning behind the reprieve, it was certainly a good thing for their client.
Similarly, the defendant is also a plaintiff in an unrelated lawsuit that was also filed near the date of his execution. The lawsuit is requesting that Texas prison officials be banned from using the pentobarbital in lethal injections, as it is evidenced to cause victims severe pain.
The Texas Attorney General’s office viewed the suit as mere speculation. Regardless, some attorneys pointed out that Texas could use other drugs to aid in the lethal injection process.