The Latest: Victim’s son: ‘Tragedy isn’t finished’ in case

ATMORE, Ala. – The Latest on the stayed execution of Vernon Madison (all times local):

6:30 p.m.

The son of a slain Alabama police officer said his father should not be forgotten as courts and media focus on the legal wrangling over whether his father’s killer should be executed.

Slain police Officer Julius Schulte’s son Michael Schulte said Friday that a series of last-minute executions stays have been difficult for his family and means “this tragedy isn’t finished.”

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the execution of Vernon Madison to review Madison’s competency claims. He got a similar last-minute stay in 2016.

Prosecutors said Madison shot Schulte in the back of his head as he was sitting in his police car finishing paperwork after responding to a missing child report.

Michael Schulte said his father loved police work. He said his mother received hundreds of letters after her husband’s death, including many from people who said Schulte helped them turn their lives around.

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12:30 p.m.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall says the state will continue to pursue a death sentence for an inmate convicted of killing a police officer in 1985.

Marshall said Friday that he was disappointed in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to stay the execution of Vernon Madison since he had previously been ruled competent to face execution.

The court delayed the Thursday execution that had been scheduled as it decides whether to review claims that strokes have left Madison incompetent and that his sentence was unconstitutional.

Madison was sentenced to death for killing Mobile Police Officer Julius Schulte.

Marshall said Madison committed “a cold blooded crime for which there is no doubt he is guilty.”

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9:50 p.m.

The U.S. Supreme Court has delayed the execution of an Alabama inmate with dementia who lawyers say can’t remember slaying a police officer.

The court issued a stay Thursday night to consider arguments from 67-year-old Vernon Madison’s attorneys.

The decision came about two hours after Madison had been scheduled to be executed by lethal injection for the 1985 killing. His attorneys had argued that stroke-induced dementia has left Madison unable to remember killing the officer or understand his looming execution.

Madison was sentenced to death for killing Mobile Police Officer Julius Schulte, who had responded to a domestic disturbance call involving Madison.

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch were opposed to the stay, according to the order issued Thursday evening.