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| Supreme Court says IQ cannot determine mental fitness in capital cases |
| By latimes.com- David G. Savage |
| Published: 05/28/2014 |
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The Supreme Court put new limits on the death penalty Tuesday, deciding that states may not use a "rigid rule" that denies leniency to defendants with severe mental disabilities simply because they score 70 or above on an IQ test. "Intellectual disability is a condition, not a number," said Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. He advised judges to view IQ test scores with "studied skepticism" and instead look closely at how the convict had functioned throughout his life prior to the crime. The 5-4 decision gives new hope to convicted murderers in Florida and at least eight other states that have relied heavily on IQ scores to decide who should be spared from capital punishment. Read More. |
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