Convicted murderer Daniel Wayne Cook was scheduled to be put to death this morning for the brutal 1987 murders of two men in Lake Havasu City. However, the United States Supreme Court granted Cook a last-minute stay delaying -- or potentially reversing -- his death sentence.
During the murders of his co-workers, 29-year-old John Matzke and 26-year-old Carlos Cruz Ramos, Cook raped and tortured the two men before strangling them to death.
Cook's lawyers claim he suffers from post-traumatic-stress disorder and brain damage that wasn't diagnosed at the time of his sentencing. They argue that years of sexual abuse at the hands of family members and others caused his condition. His attorneys claim that because of his mental illness, he should be given a life sentence as opposed to the death penalty.
Yesterday, the court agreed to stay his execution, meaning it will be delayed until the Supreme Court decides whether to hear the case.
We want to know what you think: Given the horrific nature of his crimes and his claims of mental illness, should Cook be executed?
Cast your vote below.
