Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas refused to comment on the death sentence of a severely mentally ill man in the state and chose not to be in the mix of those asking to convert the sentence to life in prison.

However, Sen. Cruz did say that he trusts the criminal justice system of the U.S. to operate and to protect the rights of the accused, in reference to Scott Panetti. In a speech about foreign policy which he delivered at the Newseum, he said the criminal system will also administer justice to violent criminals.

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Cruz thinks it is not appropriate for him as an elected official who does not have any role in the criminal justice system to be involved in the decision of any case in Texas. He pointed out the importance of following the law at all times.

Panetti was scheduled for execution on Wednesday at 6:00 pm for murdering his in-laws in 1992. Hours before the schedule, the 5^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a postponement of the execution.

In a statement, the Court of Appeals said the postponement will allow them to fully consider the complex legal questions of the case. The court also announced that oral arguments will be scheduled soon but gave no specific time frame.

Panetti, 56, has been suffering from schizophrenia for thirtyyears now and been hospitalized frequently. His attorneys have asked the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States to intervene in the case, arguing that the execution is unconstitutional because of the ban on cruel and unusual punishment based on the Eighth Amendment.

Panetti's case garnered support from mental health reform advocates and other conservatives. His supporters sent Perry a letter urging the government to refrain from implementing such sanction.

"The authority to take a man's life is the most draconian penalty that we allow our government to exercise," the letter said. "As conservatives, we must be on guard that such an extraordinary government sanction not be used against a person who is mentally incapable of rational thought."

Scott Panetti's attorneys also asked the Republican Texas Governor Rick Perry to issue a 30-day delay on the death sentence to let the accused get a new mental health assessment but were unsuccessful in this endeavour.

TagsScott Panetti, criminal justice system, Death Sentence, Murder, Ted Cruz, Republicans, Mentally ill, schizophrenia, Texas