Utah death row inmate, previously deemed mentally unfit due to severe dementia, has now been ruled competent enough to be executed, according to a significant ruling issued by a state judge on Friday. The decision has reignited long-standing debates about mental competency, justice, and the ethical implications of executing individuals suffering from degenerative cognitive illnesses.

The inmate, 74-year-old Douglas Lovell, was convicted and sentenced to death in 1993 for the brutal 1985 murder of Joyce Yost, a woman he had previously raped. Yost had agreed to testify against Lovell in the rape case, but before she could take the stand, she disappeared. Lovell later confessed to killing her to prevent her from testifying, though her body has never been found. His case became one of Utah’s most infamous and protracted capital punishment proceedings.

Over the years, Lovell’s physical and mental health deteriorated significantly, with his defense attorneys arguing that his advanced dementia rendered him unable to understand the nature of his punishment—a critical factor under U.S. law for carrying out a death sentence. Under the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Ford v. Wainwright (1986), it is unconstitutional to execute someone who cannot comprehend the reason for or reality of their execution. Lovell’s lawyers contended that his dementia had progressed to the point where he could no longer make rational decisions or grasp the cause-and-effect link between his crime and the impending punishment.

However, in a detailed 45-page ruling, 2nd District Court Judge Michael DiReda disagreed. Based on expert psychiatric testimony, video evaluations, and medical reports, the judge concluded that while Lovell does show signs of cognitive decline, including memory loss and confusion, he still retains a fundamental understanding of why he is on death row and what execution means. “The evidence presented does not demonstrate a lack of rational understanding necessary to deem the defendant incompetent for execution,” Judge DiReda wrote. “The court finds Mr. Lovell understands that he is being punished for the crime of murder, and he understands the nature and consequence of that punishment.”

The ruling is a setback for Lovell’s defense team, which has argued for years that their client’s mental and physical state has deteriorated to the point where execution would constitute cruel and unusual punishment. His attorneys have stated that they plan to appeal the decision, potentially bringing the case before the Utah Supreme Court or even federal courts, which could delay the execution further.

Prosecutors, on the other hand, hailed the ruling as a long-overdue affirmation of justice. “Joyce Yost was denied her life and her voice,” said Assistant Attorney General Karen Sterling. “This ruling ensures that Douglas Lovell will finally be held fully accountable for extinguishing that voice in an act of cold-blooded violence.”

The case has drawn attention from legal scholars, mental health advocates, and human rights organizations. Critics argue that executing a man with dementia challenges not only legal precedent but also moral standards, pointing out that Lovell reportedly struggles with daily functioning and often fails to recognize people he’s known for years. “Executing someone who doesn’t even understand what’s happening to them is barbaric and serves no legitimate purpose of justice,” said John Durrant, director of the Utah Coalition Against the Death Penalty.

Utah currently has eight inmates on death row. Though executions in the state are rare—Lovell would be the first inmate put to death in Utah since 2010—the state has recently reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining capital punishment as an option for the most egregious crimes. Utah remains one of the few states that allows execution by firing squad as an alternative method if lethal injection is unavailable or deemed unconstitutional.

The debate over Lovell’s mental fitness to be executed touches on broader questions about the role of punishment, retribution, and rehabilitation in the justice system. His case has underscored the challenges courts face when assessing mental competency in aging inmates, many of whom have spent decades awaiting execution.

As Lovell’s legal team prepares its appeal, the state is unlikely to schedule an execution date in the immediate future. Still, Friday’s ruling represents a critical turning point in the decades-long saga of a crime that shattered lives and continues to reverberate through Utah’s legal system. For the family of Joyce Yost, the decision may signal a long-awaited closure—but for opponents of the death penalty and mental health advocates, it is a deeply troubling precedent.