Edwin Hart Turner's execution has been blocked by a federal judge and postponed until February 20th. Mississippi is one of multiple states that allow the death penalty to be used on those with mental illness. Edwin Hart Turner was convicted in 1997 of the murder of two men in 1995 and sentenced to death. Turner's attorney reported that Turner was released from a mental hospital six weeks prior to the murders and has a long history of mental illness; his face is permanently disfigured from an attempted suicide attempt in which he shot himself. The Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to execute those with mental retardation or who are incompetent; however, only one state, Connecticut, prohibits the execution of those with mental disorders.
Please stay tuned for any updates on the case. It may receive increased media attention over the next two weeks.
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