We know you're all sick of Ebola and ISIS, so here's a pick-me-up: Texas is fixing to execute Scott Pannetti, who is so disconnected from reality that he buried a sofa and other furniture in his yard because he was sure the Devil was in it. He murdered his in-laws in 1992, in front of his estranged wife and infant daughter -- his wife had left him two years earlier, after he threatened her with a cavalry sword. He turned himself in to the police and explained the killing was the fault of "Sarge," one of the people in his hallucinations. By the time of the killings, Panetti had been "diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, delusions, auditory hallucinations, and manic depression, and had been hospitalized 14 times."
<em>Unfortunately for Panetti, Texas hired Alan Waldman, a freelance psychiatrist from Florida whose specialty is assessing accused prisoners and declaring them sane enough to execute.</em>
Surprised Keith Ablow hasn&#039;t heard about this gig - it&#039;s probably less work than he does now!
We could poll Texans on the &quot;kill all ebola patients&quot; policy, but the results would probably be much too depressing to report. Not even a cute Asian nurse will sway these mouthbreathing mofos.
Simon &amp; Garfunkel?
<i>Waldman billed Texas $250 an hour to examine Panetti and $350 an hour for his testimony.</i>
That rate structure sounds about right: $250/hr to talk to a homicidal maniac, and $350/hr to talk to a couple of lawyers!
<em>And so of course in 2003 Texas found that he was sane enough to be put to death.</em>
Sadly, given All Things Texas, this sounds about correct.
The Party of Life!
It&#039;s nice to know that there is a state as merciful as ISIS.
<em>Unfortunately for Panetti, Texas hired Alan Waldman, a freelance psychiatrist from Florida whose specialty is assessing accused prisoners and declaring them sane enough to execute.</em>
Surprised Keith Ablow hasn&#039;t heard about this gig - it&#039;s probably less work than he does now!
Neil Armstrong?
95% of climate scientists?
We could poll Texans on the &quot;kill all ebola patients&quot; policy, but the results would probably be much too depressing to report. Not even a cute Asian nurse will sway these mouthbreathing mofos.