Court Rules Insane Inmate Can be Executed

Newsday.com ^ | 2/10/03 | Kelly P. Kissel - AP

[NormsRevenge]

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- A federal appeals court Monday ruled that a paranoid schizophrenic inmate who is sane only when forced to take medication is eligible for death row.

A sharply divided 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a stay of execution for Charles Singleton, saying his medically induced sanity makes him eligible for execution.

Singleton's defense had argued it was in his best interest to take anti-psychotic medicine -- until the resulting sanity put him on the path to Arkansas' death chamber. His lawyers asked that the sentence be reduced to life in prison.

[MigrantOkie]

Singleton's defense had argued it was in his best interest to take anti-psychotic medicine

DOH!!!!

[coloradan]

LOL!

[Pan_Yans Wife]

A major problem with schizophrenia, is that the people who suffer from it, frequently don't feel that they need the medication, discontinue taking it, and then, slip deeply into psychosis, becoming a danger to themselves and others. So, sadly, it is very hard to rehabilitate these people, if they refuse the proper medical treatment. They can be highly dangerous.

[judgeandjury]

Court Rules Insane Inmate Can be Executed

What? This court must be insane! (Just kidding).

[flying Elvis]

A local college hired a PS to teach courses. Bad idea. It seems his propensity to skip his meds did not mix very well with a rambunctious class he taught. After he threatened to kill a few students, they sent him away for a long rest in more serene surroundings.

[Husker24]

I know im gonna be flamed to hell and back for this, but, Im not so sure we should be executing people that have a legitimate mental illness. It just doesnt seem right to me.