By a vote of 3 - 2, the Indiana Supreme Court has stayed the execution of Norman Timberlak

By a vote of 3 - 2, the Indiana Supreme Court has stayed the
execution of Norman Timberlake, presumably pending the outcome of
the U.S. Supreme Court's review of Panetti v. Quarterman to decide
whether it is constitutional to execute an individual who is "aware"
that they are about to be executed because they were convicted of
murder, but who suffers from a delusion that affects their rational
understanding of why they are being killed.

Timberlake's lawyers
have not yet seen the Court's order and do not have any more
information, except that the justices voting to stay were Rucker,
Boehm and Dickson, with Shepard and Sullivan
dissenting.

Timberlake's lawyers are headed to federal court for
their evidentiary hearing on lethal injection, although it is
possible that the federal judge will postpone that in light of the
stay of execution.

Paula Sites
Assistant Executive Director
Indiana Public Defender Council
309 W. Washington, Ste. 401
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-2490
Fax 317-232-5524
psites@iquest.net
www.in.gov/pdc