John Battaglia, 62, a former accountant was put to death by lethal injection at the state’s death chamber in Huntsville after the execution was delayed for several hours for federal courts to consider last-minute appeals to spare his life. His execution was the third this year in the United States, all of them in Texas.
Lawyers for Battaglia argued he suffered from severe mental illness and was incompetent to be executed. Lawyers for Texas contended Battaglia understood what he had done and was competent.
The Supreme Court denied the appeals without providing a reason.