April 14, 2023 – TOP STORIES
 
In a landmark decision, the Arizona Supreme Court has reinstated the death penalty for a man who killed a University of Arizona professor. The ruling comes after a years-long legal battle over whether the defendant, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, is mentally competent to face the death penalty.

The case dates back to 2016, when the defendant, Beau Greene, was arrested for the murder of Professor Roy Johnson. According to court documents, Greene had been stalking Smith for several months before breaking into her home and killing her with a kitchen knife.

After being charged with murder, Greene was found to be incompetent to stand trial and was sent to a mental health facility for treatment. Over the next several years, his lawyers argued that he was too mentally ill to face the death penalty, citing his schizophrenia as evidence that he could not understand the nature of the charges against him or assist in his own defense.

However, in a 5-4 decision, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Greene is competent to face the death penalty. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts argued that Greene mental illness did not “render him categorically ineligible for the death penalty.” He also noted that the state’s mental health experts had determined that Greene was competent to stand trial and face the death penalty.

The decision has been met with mixed reactions. Some legal experts argue that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent for executing mentally ill defendants, while others see it as a necessary step to hold Greene accountable for his actions.

“The death penalty is an extreme punishment that should only be reserved for the worst of the worst,” said Professor Alice Johnson, a criminal law expert at the University of Arizona. “But in this case, we have a defendant who was fully aware of what he was doing and who committed a heinous crime. It’s hard to argue that he doesn’t deserve to be punished.”

The case is also notable for its impact on Arizona’s criminal justice system. Since the state’s death penalty was reinstated in 1973, only three people have been executed. However, the state has the fourth-largest death row population in the country, with over 100 people currently awaiting execution. The decision in Greene case could pave the way for more executions in the state, particularly for defendants who are deemed mentally competent to face the death penalty.

Despite the ruling, Greene case is far from over. His lawyers have vowed to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the reinstatement of the death penalty violates his constitutional rights. The case is likely to attract national attention and could have far-reaching implications for how the death penalty is applied in the United States.

For now, however, the ruling stands, and Greene will face the possibility of the death penalty if he is convicted of Smith’s murder. The case is a stark reminder of the complexities of criminal law, particularly when it comes to issues of mental illness and punishment. As legal experts continue to debate the merits of the death penalty, Greene case will serve as a test of the justice system’s ability to balance accountability with compassion.

Credits: AZ Capitol Times

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