Gov. DeSantis halts execution of William Thompson, 74, citing dementia
World
Gov. Ron DeSantis has put a stop to the planned execution of William Thompson, a 74-year-old who's been on death row for decades.
The move comes after serious concerns about Thompson's health: he's battling dementia and other issues that might keep him from even understanding what's happening to him.
Evaluations say Thompson cannot grasp execution
Thompson was convicted of a notorious murder back in 1976, and his case has bounced through courts for years.
But recent medical evaluations say his mental decline is so severe he can't grasp the reality of his own execution, a key point under US law protecting people with serious mental illness.
His lawyer raised big questions about how justice works when inmates' health fails late in life.