The Indiana Supreme Court dismissed Joseph Corcoran’s attorneys’ plea to postpone his execution.
The 1997 shooting deaths of his brother James Corcoran, his sister’s fiancé Robert Scott Turner, and their friends Timothy Bricker and Douglas Stillwell led to Corcoran’s conviction.
He’s been on death row since 1999.
The state’s highest court on Thursday rejected Corcoran’s attorneys’ bid to postpone his execution by a vote of 3-2. In their ruling, the justices stated that they will release a written decision explaining their reasoning as soon as possible, but it is unclear when that will occur.
Justices Mark Massa, Geoffrey Slaughter, and Derek Molter concurred. Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Christopher Goff dissented.
Several physicians have diagnosed Corcoran with paranoid schizophrenia, which his attorneys argue should save his life.
Representatives from the Indiana Attorney General’s Office claim that Corcoran’s counsel have not demonstrated he is incompetent for execution and that he is presumed to be sane and competent to be executed.
On Thursday, State Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne) introduced legislation that could end the death sentence in Indiana. Morris also addressed a letter to Gov. Eric Holcomb, requesting that state executions be delayed until the General Assembly reconvenes to let legislators review the bill.
Corcoran is set to be executed before sunrise on December 18. The execution of Corcoran would mark the first state-level execution in Indiana in 15 years.