Ga. death row inmate attempts suicide hours ahead of execution; attorneys ask for stay

Ga. inmate attempts suicide hours before execution

ATLANTA — A Georgia death row inmate is in a hospital after attempting suicide hours before his scheduled execution.

Attorneys for Brandon Joseph Rhode filed an emergency motion to delay the Tuesday execution after the 31-year-old tried to take his own life. The motion to the state Supreme Court said Rhode is “incompetent” and putting him to death would violate the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

Georgia Department of Corrections spokeswoman Sharmelle Brooks said Rhode was transferred to a hospital Tuesday morning after an “incident” took place but would not elaborate.

Rhode was sentenced to die in 2000 for killing Steven Moss, 37, his 11-year-old son Bryan and 15-year-old daughter Kristin during a burglary of their central Georgia home.