mental illness

State of Texas scheduled to execute James Bigby

March 14, 2017March 14, 2017 Vanessa Akins death penalty, execution, mental illness, Tarrant County, Texas

Tonight, March 14, 2017, the State of Texas is scheduled to execute James Bigby for the 1987 murders of Michael R. Trekell and Jayson Kehler in Tarrant County. According to his attorney, John Stickels, Bigby has no appeals pending. In 2005, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Bigby’s death sentence after finding that the jury […]

State of Texas scheduled to execute Adam Ward

March 22, 2016March 22, 2016 Kristin execution, mental illness

*Update* The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Adam Ward’s appeal for a stay of execution based on evidence of his severe mental illness. Tonight, the State of Texas is scheduled to execute Adam Ward for killing Commerce Code Enforcement Officer Michael “Pee Wee” Walker in 2005 in Hunt County. Ward was 22 years old at […]

U.S. Supreme Court Must Prevent Execution of Scott Panetti

September 26, 2014September 29, 2014 Kristin incompetency, mental illness, Panetti, U.S. Supreme Court

Attorneys for Scott Panetti, a man with severe mental illness who has spent nearly 20 years on death row in Texas, are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider once again whether he is incompetent to be executed.

Austin County Jurors Reject Death Penalty

July 24, 2013 tcadp jury rejection, Life in prison without parole, mental illness

On July 11, 2013, an Austin County jury determined that Maron Thomas should spend the rest of his life in prison for the 2010 capital murders of his brother and sister, Cedric Thomas and Kiana Phearse, in Buckhorn. The District Attorney’s office had sought the death penalty for Thomas, but the jury decided that there […]

March 2013 Alert: Legislative Update – Lobby Day, Amplify Austin and more!

March 4, 2013March 4, 2013 tcadp Dead Man Walking, execution, legislature, mental illness, TCADP Lobby Day

Learn more about Amplify Austin and how it applies to all TCADP supporters across the state and beyond; the upcoming Lobby Day and ways you can be involved; and news out of Maryland regarding appeal of the death penalty. Lots of important and exciting updates for the month of March are available in this alert.

National Alliance on Mental Illness Praises Stay of Execution for Marcus Druery, Calls for Competency Hearing

August 2, 2012August 6, 2012 tcadp 1 Comment execution, Houston Chronicle, incompetency, Marcus Druery, mental illness, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Stay of execution

The Houston Chronicle (August 1, 2012) has published a letter to the editor from the Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Mike Fitzpatrick, and the Policy Coordinator for NAMI-Texas, Greg Hansch, regarding the case of Marcus Druery and his petition for a full and fair competency hearing to determine his mental health […]

Marcus Druery Denied Full Competency Hearing

July 24, 2012 Kristin 1 Comment death penalty, execution, Ford v. Wainwright, incompetency, Marcus Druery, mental illness, Panetti, Texas, U.S. Supreme Court

Earlier today, July 24, 2012, Brazos County District Court Judge J.D. Langley denied a motion to hold a full hearing on Marcus Druery’s execution competency claim. Druery is scheduled to be executed next Wednesday, August 1, despite diagnoses from the State’s own mental health professionals that he is severely psychotic. He was sentenced to death […]

Court of Criminal Appeals Grants Stay to Steven Staley

May 14, 2012May 14, 2012 Kristin 2 Comments death penalty, execution, forced medication, Ford v. Wainwright, incompetency, mental illness, Steven Staley, Tarrant County, Texas, Texas. Court of Criminal Appeals, U.S. Supreme Court

Update as of 5:00 PM on May 14: We just learned that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has granted a stay of execution to Steven Staley. The court did not provide a reason for the reprieve, saying only that “it had determined the execution should be halted “‘pending further order by this court.'”