Inmate’s Intellectual Disability Cited as Reason for Halt
A scheduled execution in Texas has been halted by a court order, citing the inmate’s intellectual disability as the reason. The inmate, whose identity has not been released, was set to be executed on Wednesday for the 1998 murder of his girlfriend. However, a federal judge issued a last-minute stay of execution, finding that the inmate has an intellectual disability that makes him ineligible for execution.
Intellectual Disability and the Death Penalty
In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Atkins v. Virginia that the execution of individuals with intellectual disabilities violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The Court held that intellectual disability diminishes [an individual’s]capacity for rational judgment and prevents him from understanding the reasons why he has been condemned to die.
Arguments in Favor of the Stay
In the case of the Texas inmate, his attorneys argued that he has an intellectual disability that renders him ineligible for execution. They presented evidence that he has a low IQ, limited cognitive abilities, and a history of mental illness. The prosecution, however, argued that the inmate’s intellectual disability is not severe enough to meet the Atkins standard.
The Court’s Decision
After reviewing the evidence, the federal judge found that the inmate does have an intellectual disability that meets the Atkins standard. The judge wrote that the inmate has a significant deficit in intellectual functioning and a profound deficit in adaptive behavior. The judge also noted that the inmate has a history of mental illness and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The judge concluded that the inmate’s intellectual disability makes him ineligible for execution. The judge wrote that the state has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is not intellectually disabled and that the execution of an intellectually disabled person is unconstitutional.
What Happens Next
The state of Texas has appealed the judge’s ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The appeals court has yet to rule on the appeal. If the appeals court upholds the judge’s ruling, the inmate will not be executed.
Kind regards
Dr. R. Hamilton
