Supreme Court rules in favor of Texas inmate in execution prayer case

​The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of a Texas death row inmate who sought to have his pastor “pray over” him and touch him during his execution by lethal injection for murdering a convenience store worker.

The 8-1 decision won’t spare the life of John Henry Ramirez, but the court ruled the inmate would be successful in his claims that Texas’ ban on having religious advisers in the death chamber unduly burdened Ramirez’s right to free exercise of religion and violated federal law.

“Ramirez seeks to have his pastor lay hands on him and pray over him during the execution. Both are traditional forms of religious exercise,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the eight-justice majority.

Ramirez, Roberts went on, stated in his court filings that “it is part of my faith to have my spiritual adviser lay hands on me anytime I am sick or dying.”​​

Ramirez’s pastor, meanwhile, agreed that “prayer accompanied by touch” is a “significant part of our f​aith tradition as Baptists,” Roberts wrote, quoting court documents.

“There is a rich history of clerical prayer at the time of a prisoner’s execution, dating back well before the founding of our Nation,” Roberts wrote. 

“Congress determined that prisoners like Ramirez have a strong interest in avoiding substantial burdens on their religious exercise, even while confined … Because it is possible to accommodate Ramirez’s sincere religious beliefs without delaying or impeding his execution, we conclude that the balance of equities and the public interest favor his requested relief​,” Roberts said. ​​

Justice Clarence Thomas was the court’s lone dissenter, writing that he doubted Ramirez would succeed “on the merits of his touching claim” and suggested the inmate’s legal filings were an attempt to delay his execution.

​”​The evidence that demonstrates Ramirez is bringing abusive litigation to delay his execution also strongly suggests that he does not sincerely believe that his pastor needs to touch him in the execution chamber​,” the justice wrote. ​

The Supreme Court blocked Ramirez’s execution, which had been scheduled for Sept. 8, 2021, to allow him time to argue his case.  

​​Ramirez was convicted of stabbing Pablo Castro, a Corpus Christi convenience store worker, 29 times and robbing him of $1.25 in 2004.​