Georgia to Execute Mentally Disabled Man Unless Supreme Court Issues Stay

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Democracy Now

Georgia to Execute Mentally Disabled Man Unless Supreme Court Issues Stay
July 12, 2013

The state of Georgia is set to put a mentally disabled prisoner to death on Monday unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes. Warren Hill was sentenced to death for murdering a fellow prisoner while serving a life sentence for fatally shooting his girlfriend. He was granted a last-minute reprieve before his last scheduled execution in February. A 2002 Supreme Court ruling bans the execution of people deemed mentally retarded but Georgia is the only state that requires proof of such disabilities "beyond a reasonable doubt." Three experts who once testified Hill did not meet the criteria have since recanted. The New York Times wrote in an editorial Thursday: "All seven experts who have examined Mr. Hill now agree he is mentally retarded. If that doesn’t count as proof beyond a reasonable doubt, it is hard to imagine what would." Warren Hill will die Monday at 7 p.m. from a single injection of pentobarbitol unless the Supreme Court stays his execution.


Read more: http://www.democracynow.org/2013/7/12/headlines/georgia_to_execute_mentally_disabled_man_unless_supreme_court_issues_stay

[msanthrope]

1. He has an excellent appeal point. This case should be stayed, and the BRD standard

struck as inconsistent with the 6th and 8th amendments.

[Sand Wind]

2. So in Georgia, it's politically great to execute mentally disabled people ?

Look like a movie, I think the Green Line, or something.

[christx30]

14. The Green Mile

My favorite movie of all time.

[yurbud]

3. If they executed their mentally disabled, where will they get new judges and legislators?

No offense meant to the mentally disabled who are not necessarily MORALLY disabled.

[madrchsod]

4. what a civilized society we live in.....

[Judi Lynn]

11. Whoever says many are childish, regressive, without character had better watch his back! n/t

[7962]

5. I'm sorry, but this is always used as the excuse not to execute murderers,

Last edited Sat Jul 13, 2013, 01:19 AM - Edit history (1)

and IMO this guy is NOT "mentally challenged". If you ever worked around challenged folks, its obvious he's not one of them.
Oh, another thing. He not only graduated high school but also made it to the rank of Seaman Second Class in the US Navy.
His mental state was never brought up until his appeals failed. And even then, as the case went on, his IQ dropped several points. They say he has the mind of a 6th grader. I think most 6th graders know that you should NOT* kill people. Cases like this one hurt the ones that SHOULD be looked at and stayed.

*thanks, ZombieHorde

[Lee-Lee]

6. Your post prompted me to look into this case more

and after a little reading I agree with you. All the evidence prior to his crimes, and even after his first murder, indicated he was of at least average intelligence. Only when faced with the prospect of the death penalty did he "suddenly" become mentally disabled.

I have seen criminals fake crazier things to try and escape justice. Blowing an IQ test and acting stupid in front of people wouldn't be a huge leap.

[ZombieHorde]

8. I often make the same mistake, with equally hilarious results.

I think most 6th graders know that you should kill people.

I often forget my negative words for some reason. "Not" or "n't" are the most common that I forget.

Makes some sentences so funny.

[7962]

9. Oh shit!!! I cannot believe I did that. I'm still laughing. Thanks for catching that.

[flvegan]

10. *facepalm*

An excuse to not execute? In your opinion?

Holy shit, thank the gods you are here to chime in with good reason to execute people, regardless.

[7962]

12. Well, MURDER is a pretty good reason, since that what the law is for

I'm just adding that the "mentally retarded" excuse is false. Anybody can fail a test. He made rank in the Navy, which BTW is the hardest branch of service to get into, never exhibited any signs of being "slow", and killed a second time.

[ZombieHorde]

7. Is person-first langauge no longer used in professional settings? nt

[Duckwraps]

13. What was the movie? Green Mile?