October Term 2018 · Docket 17-7505
Can a state execute a prisoner who cannot remember the crime?
Vernon Madison claims his dementia prevents him from understanding his execution. Alabama argues his memory loss does not bar the sentence.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Bryan Stevenson argued Madison suffers from acute vascular dementia.
He stated Madison cannot fully orient to time and place.
Alabama's advocate argued no objective evidence supports a national consensus.
The advocate claimed this consensus would support a rule barring execution.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 26-10 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 26-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-10 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 34-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 34-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-6 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-8 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 8-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-29 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 22-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 36-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 8-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-22 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-22
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Madison v. Alabama
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 26-10 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 26-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-30
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 2, 2018.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-15
What each side wants
Madison wants the Court to bar his execution due to his dementia.
Alabama wants the Court to allow the execution despite his memory loss.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 26-10 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 26-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-30
What each side says
Madison argues his dementia renders him incompetent for execution.
Alabama argues no national consensus supports barring execution for memory loss.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 26-10 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 26-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-30
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if memory loss alone renders a person incompetent.
Justice Ginsburg asked what additional factors define incompetence.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-10 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 34-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 34-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-6 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-8 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 8-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-29 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 22-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 36-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 8-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-22 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-22
Why it matters
This case defines the mental state required for a lawful execution. It determines whether dementia prevents a state from carrying out a death sentence.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 26-10 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 26-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-30
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-10 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 34-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 34-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-6 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-8 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 8-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-29 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 22-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 36-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 8-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-22 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-22
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 26-10 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 26-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 26-10 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 26-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-30
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.