martes, febrero 08, 2005

Muerte retardada de Daryl Renard Atkins



Atkins vuelve a ser "ejecutable" tras mejorar su coeficiente intelectual.



"Sorprendentemente, ese contacto constante con los abogados que trabajaron en su caso le proporcionó en la cárcel más estímulos intelectuales de los que había recibido en su adolescencia, con la práctica de la lectura y la escritura, el aprendizaje de conceptos legales abstractos y la comunicación con profesionales", escribió hace dos meses en un informe el psicólogo penitenciario encargado de valorar su situación intelectual.
La Virginia Supreme Court (en Norfolk, Virginia) denegó la conmutación de la pena de muerte de Daryl Renard Atkins por sufrir retraso mental. Los argumentos son tremendos.

The court also denied his defense attorney's request to delay the hearing scheduled to begin Monday in York County Circuit Court.

Atkins attorneys had argued that telling the jury about his conviction and death sentence would influence their decision about his abilities. Prosecutors have claimed that Atkins was able to plan and mastermind the kidnapping and murder of a U.S. Airman. Atkins' case was the one the U.S. Supreme Court used in 2002 to decide that executing convicts that have mental retardation is "cruel and unusual punishment" under the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. The Supreme Court did not decide whether Atkins has mental retardation, nor did it tell Virginia -- or any state -- how to determine if somebody has mental retardation.
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express. February 3, 2005 Sigue aquí.

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