In case anyone is wondering whether or not capital punishment is alive and well with the Supreme Court of the United States, consider the following:

1. Clinton Lee Young

This week, the Supreme Court of the United States refused to consider the case of Texas Death Row inmate Clinton Young, who was appealing a denial by a lower federal appellate court that he had ineffective assistance of counsel coupled with prosecutorial misconduct in his 2002 trial, where he was convicted and sentenced to death for shooting two men.  Read more about his case here.

2. Adam Ward

Today, Adam Ward is scheduled to be executed by the State of Texas for the killing of a housing code enforcement officer as the officer was photographing Ward’s house.

There is no doubt that Adam Ward is mentally ill, and that he suffers from bipolar disorder.

Nevertheless, the Supreme Court of the United States has refused to hear Adam Ward’s case, and will not be issuing a stay of execution.  His petition for a writ of habeas corpus was denied by SCOTUS this afternoon.

Simultaneously with filing their original pleading with United States Supreme Court, Adam Ward’s attorneys have also sought review of the decision released by the highest Texas criminal court,  which has already denied his request for a stay of execution and which Ward’s attorneys are asking they reconsider at this point. 

Adam Ward has been on medication for his mental illness since he was three years old, and this is part of the criminal record.

At the age of four, he spent over two months in a psychiatric unit where he was initially diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Again, this is part of Ward’s appellate record.

SCOTUS Message Regarding the Death Penalty?

Absent a miracle, it appears that the State of Texas will be executing a man obviously suffering from mental illness today. What can we take from these two examples?

Currently, the United States Supreme Court is sending a clear message regarding capital punishment in this country.  Even if lifelong mental illness is involved.