Judge halts federal execution and orders further evaluation of mental competency claims

The Supreme Court recently lifted the delay for execution on the ineffective counsel claim.

Be pushed back again.

Now..

We want to continue our coverage of the federal executions in terre haute.

Patrece dayton is live... she's at the prision right now with the very latest.

Patrece....what have you been seeing?

Rondrell... things have been mostly quiet out here... outside of a few media members and law enforcement, we've only seen a few people.

We learned early this afternoon the execution of wesley ira purkey is set for 7 this evening.

But before that..

The legal back-and-forth was well underway.

Purkey's attorneys and the government have been filing motions in different cases... the department of justice says purkey raped and murdered a 16-year-old and murdered a purkey raped justice says department of the cases... the cases... the department of justice says purkey raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl.

He then dismembered, burned, and dumped her body in a pond in 19-98.

Purkey and his legal team have had on-going litigation.

That includes... purkey's claim that he received constitutionally inadequate counsel at his trial.

His counsel also argues his execution would be cruel and unusual punishment.

That's because he can no longer understand why he is being put to death due to issues like dementia.

He's involved in the lethal injection protocol case.

It's a group of prisoners saying the process is cruel and unusual punishment meanwhile -- groups of meanwhile -- meanwhile -- groups of people are groups of meanwhile -- punishment meanwhile -- groups of people are still protesting the execution.

We know there are people for and aganist federal executions, news 10's sarah lehman is in the studio right now.

She was out where people were protesting earlier.

She has more on what happened.

Happened.

More on what she has earlier.

Protesting earlier.

She has more on what happened.

"death penalty action" and "terre haute death penalty resistance"..

Have promised to protest "each day" of these executions.

And they have kept that promise.

They were out again "at springhill drive" and u-s highway-"41" in terre haute.

"they say"..

These executions "are a political stunt"..

And do "not" provide justice for victim's families.

"organizers" have encouraged "protesters" to stay away from the prison's "official protest area".

"they say"..

"prison officials" have created "unreasonable restrictions" "o time" and "the use of recording devices".

Plus -- they want their message heard!

"well if we were at the prison where they're shutting down the roads then nobody can get our message.

Right?

And if you stay here long enough you'll hear people shouting at us.

Ugly things but you'll hear more honks of and thumbs up and people applauding that we're here.

So we're out here where we can be visible" bonowitz visible" bonowitz says they do plan to be out again when the next federal execution is scheduled.

Which is set for this friday.

Patrece -- back to you.

This execution is just under an hour away... if it happens as planned.

There could still be legal back-and-forth... and like monday, our heather good is a media witness.

She's inside the prison... we'll be here to monitor what happens... for now, reporting live at the federal prison, i'm patrece dayton..

Rondrell, back to you.

Back to you.

Back to you.

We'll continue our team coverage at 10 on my fox 10 and 11 on news 10 nightwatch.

You can also follow updates on the news 10 app..

And at wthi tv dot com.

There has been a lot of confusion lately regarding federal executions.

News 10's bri shackelford lets us know the legal side and why we see a lot of stopping and starting taking place.

Constant starting and stopping of federal executions has gone on for the past serveral weeks.

I spoke with the vigo county prosecutor today to help clear up why this back and forth is taking place.

Although he is not involved with the executions.....he helps explain the process.

He also helps explain why there are so many different courts having different rulings.

"if it's denied then the other party is going to try to appeal it and keep try to appeal it to a higher court to see if they can get a higher court to change the lower courts ruling."

Each side wants their case to win.

So taking the case from court to court is the best way to reach a verdict in either sides favor.

Back the legal the legal back and forth continues with the federal execution of wesley purkey just a half hour away... the supreme court recently lifted the delay for execution in the "ineffective counsel" claim.

However, other court proceedings are still happening..

News 10's "patrece dayton" is live at the prison..

She wraps up what's happening there..

Rondrell... we are preparing for the second execution in 17 years.... outside of a few media members and law enforcement, we've only seen a few people.

We learned early this afternoon the execution of wesley ira purkey is set for 7 this evening11 here's a look at the answer to today's weather quiz question.

Tonight showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2am.

Increasing clouds, with a low around 72.

South wind 3 to 7 mph.

Chance of precipitation is of 7 mph.

Chance south wind 3 to 7 mph.

Chance of precipitation is 70%.

New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 8am.

Mostly cloudy and hot, with a high near 91.

Heat index values as high as 101.

Light west southwest wind.

Chance of precipitation is 60%.

New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. thursday night a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2am.

Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.

Calm wind.

Calm wind.