Debating Death Row: Alabama's Appeal Over Intellectual Disability Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear Alabama's appeal regarding the execution of Joseph Clifton Smith, deemed intellectually disabled, sparing him from the death penalty. The case debates the assessment of IQ scores and the Eighth Amendment's stance against executing intellectually disabled individuals.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review an appeal from Alabama officials disputing a ruling that deemed Joseph Clifton Smith intellectually disabled, thus saving him from execution. This decision challenges the state's efforts within the Republican-led governance to proceed with Smith's execution despite previous judicial findings.
Smith, aged 54, was convicted of murder in 1997 after killing Durk Van Dam in a robbery, yet courts found him intellectually disabled under a 2002 Supreme Court precedent prohibiting executions of such individuals. Alabama's appeal lacks alignment with court rulings considering cumulative IQ scores and adaptive deficits.
The Supreme Court's intervention seeks to clarify the legal criteria for determining intellectual disability in death penalty cases. Alabama contends that lower courts misapplied this standard. The Court's unexpected earlier-than-scheduled announcement underscores ongoing discussion and the significance of properly addressing intellectual disability in capital cases.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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