17 April 2017 :

The Arkansas Supreme Court today stayed the execution of Bruce Ward, scheduled to be executed on April 17, so that his lawyers can litigate a claim that Ward is mentally incompetent to be executed. The Court did so without explanation, but his attorneys had requested a stay based on mental disability. Ward had been scheduled to be the 1st of the men to die, at 7pm on Monday, as part of a double execution that would then have been repeated several times in the course of the ensuing 10 days. Ward, 61, White, was sentenced to die in Pulaski County in 1990. He's been described as having severe schizophrenia and having delusions. His lawsuit seeking to stop the execution quoted medical authorities as saying his prolonged incarceration in isolation had contributed to his condition. Ward was convicted of the 1989 slaying of Rebecca Doss, 18, a convenience store clerk working on overnight shift. The stay reduces the number facing execution between April 17 and 27 to 6, with only Don Davis facing execution on Monday. The Supreme Court order was 1 sentence, saying an emergency stay was granted. It was unsigned by justices. There was no mention of any dissent the 7-member court. The executions had been scheduled to start Monday night.