An Alabama man was set to be executed this year - despite suffering from dementia and claiming he no longer remember the crimes he committed. But, on Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled that the state of Alabama cannot execute Vernon Madison if his dementia prevents him from rationally understanding why he is being put to death.

Madison, who has been on death row for killing a police officer in 1985, and his attorneys argued that his death sentence is in violation of the Eighth amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment since he has vascular dementia and no longer remembers committing the murder he was convicted guilty for decades ago.

Chief Justice John Roberts sided with liberal justices in a 5-3 decision ruling in favour of Madison, citing the US Constitution limits the execution of people with mental illnesses.

Adding that the Eighth Amendment bans executing any mentally ill person unable to “understand the societal judgment underlying his sentence,” regardless of the cause or mental disorder.

Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Show all 6 1 /6 Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists march from the Texas State Capitol to the Office of Governor Greg Abbott to deliver a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking the governor and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Wood's sentence on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Carla Harvey adds her name to a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Jeff Wood's sentence, during a demonstration outside of the Texas State Capitol on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists delivered the petition to the Office of the Governor after the demonstration. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas A massive explosion guts Mexico's biggest fireworks market in Mexico City, on December 20, 2016. The explosion killed at least 31 people and injured 72, authorities said. The conflagration in the Mexico City suburb of Tultepec set off a quick-fire series of multicolored blasts that sent a vast cloud of smoke billowing over the capital. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Darius Broussard adds his name to a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Jeff Wood's sentence, during a demonstration outside of the Texas State Capitol on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists delivered the petition to the Office of the Governor after the demonstration. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists march from the Texas State Capitol to the Office of Governor Greg Abbott to deliver a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking the governor and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Wood's sentence on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Mark Clements (L), who was imprisoned for 28 years before being released and exonerated, encourages passersby to sign a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Jeff Wood's sentence, during a demonstration outside of the Texas State Capitol on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Clements joined family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists to deliver the petition to the Office of the Governor after the demonstration. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images

In court, Madison’s attorney argued that the Alabama court only considered whether their client’s delusion—and not their dementia condition–warranted a halt on his execution.

Justice Elena Kagan, who announced the court’s ruling from her bench, said the Eighth Amendment does not care for the specifics or diagnosis of the mentally ill inmate when halting their execution.

“The Eighth Amendment doesn’t care about the particular diagnosis — schizophrenia, dementia, or something else entirely,” Ms Kagan said. “If a person suffering from any mental disorder — dementia included — is unable to rationally understand why the state wants to execute him, then the Eighth Amendment doesn’t allow the execution.”

The high court also ordered the Alabama court to reconsider Madison’s case, citing that it is uncertain if the state court recognised his dementia renders him unable to rationally understand the reasoning for his punishment.

“The state court, we have little doubt, can evaluate such matters better than we,” Ms Kagan wrote in the majority opinion. “It must do so as the first step in assessing Madison’s competency—and ensuring that if he is to be executed, he understands why.”

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In a vitriolic dissent, Mr Alito said the court the Supreme Court took on the case to determine the specific question of whether the Eighth Amendment prevents the execution of an a murder who can no longer remember the murder he committed. He also said Madison’s attorneys deceived the court by shifting their argument that the state court rejected their claim that their client’s dementia made his execution unconstitutional.

“Counsel’s tactics flagrantly flouted our rules,” Alito said.

Fixated on the protocols and procedures of the court’s system of review, Mr Alito said the Supreme Court would become chaotic if the justices allowed attorneys to switch the question of their review to an entirely different one after it agreed to take their case.