A death row inmate who believes he has already died thrice and been resurrected has been deemed too mentally sick to face execution.
John Richard Wood, 56, has been in prison for greater than 25 years after killing a state trooper in South Carolina, US.
In December 2000, Wood shot and killed Eric Nicholson during a traffic stop.
After fleeing, he shot at police and hit one other officer with a bullet fragment before being arrested.
Now, three mental health experts have agreed that he isn’t competent enough to be executed, having not understood why he’s being punished.
Wood, who has schizophrenia, believes he’s immortal – and thinks he has already been executed thrice.
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The judge in his case said Wood believes he shall be resurrected if the state puts him to death. He also erroneously believes he has already received a pardon from the governor.
During his 2002 trial, Wood thought the courtroom was working as an agent of ‘Beloved Kevin Rudolph’, a deity who he thinks is an element of a war to win over control of the planet.
The court also heard that Wood thinks he has ‘wings’ and was gifted immortality to win his ‘fight’ against the justice system.
The judge, with the assistance of two psychiatrists and a psychologist, has agreed that Wood can’t be executed due to his debilitating mental illness.
They found that Wood understands why he initially received the death sentence – but still thinks police were ‘framing him for brutal rape’.
The judge’s ruling will go to the South Carolina Supreme Court, which could either uphold or overturn the choice.
Earlier today, one other man was sentenced to death after kidnapping and killing seven-year-old Athena Strand in Texas.
Tanner Horner, 34, told detectives after his arrest that he bundled the young girl into his van after by accident hitting her with it after which strangled her to stop her from telling anyone.
Clever County District Attorney James Stainton showed the court video of little Athena alive and well within the FedEx truck after her abduction.
The court heard that in the course of the terrifying ordeal, Horner told Athena: ‘Don’t scream, or I’ll hurt you.’
After a two-week hearing, a jury selected to execute Horner by lethal injection.
In a press release following Horner’s initial indictment, Athena’s mum, Maitlyn Gandy, said she supported the choice.
She added: ‘Every breath he takes is one my daughter doesn’t.’
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