Wesley Purkey
Wesley Purkey was executed by the federal government by lethal injection on July 16, 2020, at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, according to the Bureau of Prisons. His lawyers said he had Alzheimer's and had suffered sexual and mental abuse as a child, and that at 14 he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and psychosis. They argued he had dementia and no longer understood his punishment, and that the execution should not go ahead. The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision allowed it to proceed over those objections.
Cause of death, as reported: Executed by the state. His lawyers argued he had dementia and no longer understood his punishment, and the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision allowed the execution to proceed over their objections.
Reported by: Federal Bureau of Prisons (the agency that held him); Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman (the agency that held him); his lawyers; Supreme Court (court).