Though he has spent more than a decade in mental hospitals and his trial was postponed for 18 years due to questions regarding his sanity, Sherman Noble was recently sentenced to death in Kentucky after serving as his own defense counsel. In 1988, Noble was declared incompetent to stand trial and was placed in a mental hospital for further evaluation and treatment. He was later declared competent in 1997. Noble attempted suicide on the day of his sentencing and appeared in court in a wheelchair. The issue of whether Noble should have been allowed to serve as his own attorney is expected to be a key issue in his appeals.
(Courier-Journal and 4Fox 41 News, February 7, 2005). See Mental Illness.
Citation Guide
- Death Penalty Information Center (2025, March 14). Kentucky Sentences Man to Death After 10 Years in Mental Hospital. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/kentucky-sentences-man-to-death-after-10-years-in-mental-hospital
- Death Penalty Information Center. “Kentucky Sentences Man to Death After 10 Years in Mental Hospital.” Last modified March 14, 2025. Accessed October 4, 2026. https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/kentucky-sentences-man-to-death-after-10-years-in-mental-hospital.
- Death Penalty Information Center. “Kentucky Sentences Man to Death After 10 Years in Mental Hospital.” Death Penalty Information Center, 14 Mar. 2025, https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/kentucky-sentences-man-to-death-after-10-years-in-mental-hospital. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.
