Death row inmate who believes he’s ‘immortal’ avoids execution at last minute

A death row inmate who believes he is 'immortal' has avoided execution at the very last minute. John Richard Wood, 56, claims he has already died and been resurrected three times. He was due to be executed after serving more than 25 years for killing a state trooper in South Carolina, US, but was deemed too mentally ill. In December 2000, Wood shot and killed Eric Nicholson during a traffic stop. He was arrested after fleeing and shooting at police, hitting another officer. It was decided by three mental health experts that he isn't competent enough to be executed, as he did not understand why he is to be punished. Wood has schizophrenia and believes he is immortal – claiming to have already been executed three times. The judge in his case explained that Wood thinks he will be resurrected if the state puts him to death. He also wrongly believes he has already received a pardon from the governor. Wood thought that the courtroom of his 2002 trial was working as an agent of ‘Beloved Kevin Rudolph’, a deity who he thinks is part of a war to win over control of the planet. The court was told that the killer believes he has ‘wings’ and was gifted immortality to win his ‘fight’ against the justice system. It was agreed by the judge, with the assistance of two psychiatrists and a psychologist that Wood can’t be executed because of his debilitating mental illness. Although Wood understands why he was initially handed the deaths sentence he still feels police were ‘framing him for brutal rape’. The judge’s ruling will go to the South Carolina Supreme Court, which could either uphold or overturn the decision.