EXECUTING THE MENTALLY ILL. The Criminal Justice System and the Case of Alvin Ford

Softcover. A book examining the compelling case of Florida death-row inmate Alvin Ford, which led the US Supreme Court to rule that executions of severely psychotic death-row inmates are in violation of the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. But how should mental illness be defined for purposes of exemption from execution? How should mental health professionals evaluate competence for execution? What happens when mental health professionals disagree among themselves about the defendant's mental health? How strong should doubts about mental status be before an execution is stopped? What should be done with the prisoners who are found to be incompetent? In telling the powerful story of Ford's history, crime, mental state, and how he was handled by the criminal justice system, the authors confront questions about the administration of the death penalty in America today. Illus., Appendix, References + Index. 200pp. 8vo. softcover. From the library of true crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. With 2 small rubber stamps on fep 'Property of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty'. Vg.