COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a request to delay the execution of a condemned killer.
Abdul Awkal was convicted in the slayings of his estranged wife and brother-in-law at a Cleveland courthouse.
His lawyers say he believes the CIA is orchestrating his execution and he lives in a fantasy world where he's crucial to the country's Mideast war effort. They want the execution delayed while courts determine his competency. They note a Cuyahoga County judge on Monday ruled there's evidence he's insane.
The state Supreme Court rejected the request 5-2 on Tuesday.
The state opposed the request. Republican Gov. John Kasich and the Ohio Parole Board rejected Awkal's request for mercy based on his mental health allegations.