(CNN) -- A flurry of last-minute legal maneuvers Tuesday spared, for now, the life of John Ferguson, a Florida death row inmate who suffers from mental illness and at one point called himself the 'prince of God.' 

Ferguson, a diagnosed schizophrenic convicted of killing eight people, was scheduled to get the lethal injection Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET at a Florida State Prison. 

But an appeals court in Atlanta granted an emergency stay of execution Tuesday night. 

Florida officials then asked the Supreme Court to allow the lethal injection to proceed. Just before midnight the high court denied Florida's request, keeping in place the stay of execution, according to court documents. 

Some had questioned why authorities would kill a man who suffered from mental illness. 

Laurel Bellows, the president of the American Bar Association, released a statement earlier Tuesday saying she was concerned about how thoroughly Ferguson's competency was evaluated. 

"The American Bar Association is alarmed that Florida is poised to execute John Ferguson, a man diagnosed as severely mentally ill for more than 40 years, before the constitutionality of his execution is fully evaluated." 

Chris Handman, one of Ferguson's attorneys, told CNN. "We think the court should intervene to stop that execution from going forward." 

Handman said a court had earlier found that Ferguson was mentally ill and had delusions that caused him to think he is the "Prince of God." 

Ferguson is on death row for the murders of eight people in Hialeah and Carol City, Florida, in the late 1970s. 
What was given by an appeals court Tuesday?
Where?
Who received it?
Is he on death row?
Where?
Does he have an illness?
What kind?
Did a doctor say he's ill?
What is the name of his illness?
How long has he had that label?
Who is Laurel Bellows?
How does she say the Bar feels about this?
When did she say it?
Who is his lawyer?
What does he feel the court should do?
And do what?
Who did he murder?
when?
What were they planning to kill him with?
When?
an emergency stay of execution
an emergency stay of execution
in Atlanta
 in Atlanta
John Ferguson
John Ferguson
yup
 a Florida death row inmate
Florida
Florida 
yes
 mentally ill
mentally ill
 mentally ill
yes
a man diagnosed as severely mentally ill for more than 40 years
schizophrenic
 schizophrenic
40 years,
 40 years,
the president of the American Bar Association
 the president of the American Bar Association
They are alarmed
 is alarmed
Tuesday
Tuesday 
Chris Handman
Chris Handman
intervene
intervene 
stop that execution from going forward
stop that execution from going forward
eight people
 eight people
the late 1970s
the late 1970s
lethal injection
 lethal injection 
Tuesday
 Tuesday