Words by Jessica Dupree
Texas inmate Robert Sparks has been denied a stay of execution after attorney’s ask for the intervention of the U.S. Supreme Court. Sparks is set to be put to death by way of lethal injection for the September 2007 murders of his then-wife Chare Agnew and two step-sons Harold Sublet and Raekwon Agnew.
Sparks attorneys say he is intellectually disabled and argued that at least one of the prosecution’s witnesses provided false testimony regarding his prison classifications. Sparks attorneys also contend that a bailiff wore a necktie with an image of a syringe that showed his support for the death penalty which improperly influenced the jury.
Requests were turned down from the lower courts as well as the Texas Board of Directors followed by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to decline the stop of his execution. According to blackamericaweb.com, the appeals court stated that Sparks attorneys failed to both raise claims in a timely manner and did not present sufficient evidence to support claims of being mentally disabled.
Sparks reportedly told police that he killed his wife and kids because they were trying to poison him. Sparks is also said to have told a psychologist that he had to “kill them because they were trying to kill me.”
Attorneys for Sparks argue that he has been diagnosed with a severe mental illness that includes psychotic delusions, hallucinations, and a schizoaffective disorder. The defense attorney’s also hired a psychologist who said Sparks that he meets the full criteria for the diagnosis of intellectual disability.
Authorities also stated that Sparks raped his then 12- and 14-year-old step-daughters after killing their mother and brothers. Sparks execution is set for today, Wednesday, September 25.
