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| Judge Rules Death Row Inmate Can Drop Appeals |
| By The State |
| Published: 10/03/2002 |
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A judge has ruled a death row inmate is mentally competent to drop his appeals and be executed. Mar-Reece Hughes was convicted in 1995 of killing York County Sheriff's Deputy Brent McCants during a traffic stop in 1992. 'This is another step toward justice for Brent,' said the victim's mother, Myra McCants, of Lancaster. Hughes' conviction was upheld by the South Carolina Supreme Court in 1999. An order by Judge Paul Short last week said Hughes is competent. The order states Hughes asked more than two years ago to withdraw his appeal for post-conviction relief and be executed. Hughes' court-appointed lawyers had said Hughes was not competent to make decisions. The state Supreme Court ordered competency hearings, which were conducted here in April. 'This court concludes that Hughes is not in a current state of psychosis,' the order states. 'Contrary to the assertions of his appointed counsel, the court does not find that Hughes is suffering from delusions about his appointed counsel or the system as a result of his mental illness that prevents his ability to factually or rationally understand the proceedings or communicate rationally with them.' Issues were raised in the April hearing about Hughes' ability to understand the nature of the charges against him and the result of dropping his appeals. Hughes testified during the hearings that he had filed an appeal, yet changed his mind and wanted to end the process. Before the April hearings, Hughes was examined by several doctors, including doctors for both Hughes and the state, the order states. Another inmate who dropped his appeals, Michael Passaro, was executed Sept. 13. |
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