Alabama Inmate’s Execution Stayed Pending Mental Health Evaluation
July 26, 2025
An Alabama state judge has issued a temporary stay on the execution of David Lee Roberts, a death row inmate scheduled to be executed on August 21, 2025, to assess whether his mental health renders him incompetent for execution. Marion County Circuit Judge Talmage Lee Carter ordered the stay on July 10, citing the need to determine if Roberts possesses a “rational understanding” of his impending execution and its connection to his crime. The decision hinges on whether Roberts’ mental state is so impaired that he cannot grasp the execution’s meaning or purpose, as required by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling prohibiting the execution of prisoners who are insane and lack such understanding.
Roberts, now 59, was convicted of capital murder for the 1992 killing of Annetra Jones in Marion County, Alabama. Prosecutors stated that Roberts, a houseguest at Jones’ boyfriend’s home, stole money, shot Jones three times in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while she slept, and set the house on fire after dousing her body with flammable liquid. Despite a jury’s 7-5 recommendation for life without parole, a judge overrode the verdict and sentenced Roberts to death, a practice Alabama has since abolished.
Roberts’ attorneys from the Federal Defenders for the Middle District of Alabama argue that his death sentence should be suspended due to severe mental illness. They cite a long history of paranoid schizophrenia, with symptoms including auditory hallucinations, delusions, and recent attempts to burn tattoos off his body, believing they control his thoughts. Medical records indicate Roberts is “floridly psychotic” despite over 20 years of antipsychotic medication, with behaviors such as screaming and setting fires in his cell noted by fellow inmates.
The stay, which the Alabama attorney general’s office is not appealing, requires a psychiatric evaluation by the Alabama Department of Mental Health to assess Roberts’ competency. The state has requested an expedited evaluation, but no timeline for completion has been specified. This case underscores ongoing debates about mental competency in executions, as Alabama law lacks clear standards for determining competency, despite the Supreme Court’s mandate.
Roberts’ execution was set to be carried out by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using in 2024, marking it as the first state to implement nitrogen hypoxia for executions. The method has faced scrutiny, with critics citing the 2024 execution of Kenneth Smith, where media witnesses reported prolonged distress, contrary to claims of a quick and humane process.
The stay reflects broader concerns about executing individuals with severe mental illnesses, a recurring issue in Alabama’s death penalty history. Legal scholars note that over 75% of inmates who waive appeals often suffer from documented mental health issues, raising questions about the ethics of such executions.
Sources: The Independent, AP News, al.com, The Washington Post, The Marshall Project, posts on X.