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Transcript

Atkins v. Virginia (2002)

Is it lawful to execute

the mentally retarded?

What happened?

August 16, 1996

After spending a day under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, Daryl Renard Atkins and a friend decide to rob Eric Nesbitt, a young mechanic, at a local gas station near the Langley Air Base in Hampton, Virginia

(Source: BBC)

Atkins stole the man's car, stole $60 cash, and forced the man to withdraw $200 more from an ATM.

Then, the victim was dragged to an isolated area and was fatally shot 8 times.

  • Atkin's friend, William Jones, testified that Atkins killed Nesbitt, and was spared with life in prison.
  • Atkins was sentenced to death by the Virginia Jury.

THE

Supreme Court!

(Source: Worldbook)

The Plaintiff

Daryl Renard Atkins

(Source: BBC)

59

What does "mentally retarded" even mean?

-American Psychiatric

Association

“disability originating before age 18 characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills”

"mildly mentally retarded"

IQ score below VA's standard of 70

Claimed execution is too harsh of a sentence for one with a weak mental state who could not control his actions adeptly

Old school records

The Defendant

(Source: Worldbook)

Dr. Samenow contradicted the plaintiff’s mental retardation claim by noting that Atkins’ general communication skills, behavior and vocabulary demonstrated he had at least average mental capabilities

Atkin’s IQ increased from 59 to 76

Atkins was never even mentally retarded in the first place, as shown by the capability to direct the victim to withdraw money from an ATM, and precision in loading and directing a gun to brutally attack the victim stealthily in a distant area

Penry v. Lynaugh, 492 U.S. 302

On June 20, 2002 the United States Supreme Court ruled six to three that the killing of the mentally retarded is considered unconstitutional, as it precluded by the Eighth Amendment, which protects people from "cruel and unusual punishments"

"Construing and applying the Eighth Amendment in the light of our 'evolving standards of decency,' we therefore conclude that such punishment is excessive and that the Constitution 'places a substantive restriction on the State's power to take the life' of a mentally retarded offender"

-Justice John Paul Stevens

(Source: Oyez Project)

  • interpreted and applied the Eighth Amendment to fit the changing and more liberal standards
  • states have the responsibility of developing suitable methods of enforcing restriction on execution sentences
  • overturning Atkin’s death sentence to further examination
  • executing the mentally retarded are excessive and constitutes unusual and cruel punishment, as set out in the Eighth Amendment
  • based on a recent national census that showed the country had developed strong opposition to executions for reasons such as religion and basic rights—issues protected by the Constitution.

The Dissent

Justice Scalia states that the ruling is the "newest invention [that] promises to be more effective than any of the others in turning the process of capital trial into a game”

(Source: Oyez Project)

So what?

  • integrates many controversial topics, including race, capital punishment, and the mentally retarded
  • limits the capital punishment system
  • raises many ethical questions that will determine how other issues will be approached
  • Children are not allowed to be executed, should adults with the mentality of children be exempt from the death sentence as well?

Does this ruling encourage

people to toy with the system?

Should the mentally retarded be held accountable to the same standards of punishment?

Is it fair to decide criminals'

fates based on IQ scores?

How should the Supreme Court have handled the case?

forensic psychologist Dr. Evan Nelson

The Majority

“Computer use could be cutting attention spans, stifling imagination and hampering empathy ... parts of the brain involved in these traits will not develop properly.”

What do YOU think?

TheVerdict

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