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In Conclusion....

Over view of the case

  • The jury concluded that Atkins was not mentally retarded in fact it was the drugs and alcohol that altered his IQ. The act of violence that he committed was said to be stimulated from family breakdown, peer influence, and the growth of guns in society. These acts of violence were inexcusable according to the state. This indicated that the IQ should have been looked at last as an excuse of violence.
  • As a result of the eighth amendment that forbids the execution of mentally retarded, the jury reanalyzed the evidence and decided that he was eligible for another trial. As a result of prosecutorial misconduct throughout the case Atkins was sentenced to life in prison instead of the death sentence.
  • On August 16th of 1996, two young men, 18 year old Daryl Atkins and William Jones abducted an airmen by the name of Eric Nesbitt from a gas station while they were both under the influence of drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.
  • The two men robbed Nesbitt but was not satisfied with the sixty dollars they found in his wallet so they drove him to a local ATM in his own vehicle and forced him to withdrawal $200.
  • They then drove him to an isolated area where they shot him eight times.

Overview of the case continued....

Atkins vs. Virginia

  • The court system offered Jones a deal of life imprisonment for the testimony against Atkins. The jury decided that Jones' version of events was more coherent and credible, and convicted Atkins of capital murder.
  • In the penalty phase, Dr. Evan Nelson, a forensic psychologist and witness for the defense, testified that Atkins was “mildly mentally retarded.” Nelson’s conclusion was based on interviews conducted with people who knew Atkins, a review of his school and court records, and an IQ test administered to Atkins with a score of 59.
  • A person with an IQ of 100 is considered to have an average level of cognitive functioning. Atkins was convicted of abduction, armed robbery, and capital murder and sentenced to death..

Overview of the case continued.....

  • The ATM camera footage which was of the two men with Nesbitt in the middle and leaning across Jones to withdraw money, provided evidence of Atkins and Jones forcing Nesbitt to withdraw the money.
  • Further forensic evidence implicating the two were found in Nesbitt's abandoned vehicle. The two suspects were quickly tracked down and arrested.
  • In custody, each man claimed that the other had pulled the trigger.
  • While in prison Atkins former cellmate claimed that Atkins confessed to him that he pulled the trigger on Nesbitt.

In Relation to the text

  • the text offers the opinion that the IQ of a juvenile may not have any relation to the deviant act but the relationship between intelligence and delinquency may be confounded by moral reasoning and cognitive empathy, which is the ability to understand and share in another person’s emotional state or context.
  • With that in mind Atkins could possibly be subject to the death penalty. However, the eighth amendment protected him against the death penalty by saying it was cruel and unusual punishment.
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