Uncle Fester
07-26-2005, 03:59 PM
By SUE LINDSEY, Associated Press Writer Tue Jul 26, 1:18 PM ET
YORKTOWN, Va. - A lawyer for a death row inmate told jurors Tuesday his client was so limited mentally he couldn't get a driver's license or make the school football team. But a prosecutor said Daryl Atkins' claimed mental retardation was a ploy to avoid execution.
"None of his teachers, friends or family believed Daryl was mentally retarded until he was facing the death penalty," Commonwealth's Attorney Eileen Addison said during opening statements.
But defense lawyer Mark Olive portrayed Atkins as someone who struggled through life because of his limited mental abilities.
"He was teased unmercifully as a child because of mental slowness," Olive said.
Get used to this people. The USSC opened up this escape route and an increasing number of inmates on Death Row will be attempting to use it. Eventually, you'll have the philosophy: "Only a mentally incompetent person would commit a crime. Ergo, they are not responsible for their actions."
Evidently, being stupid in school is the same as being mentally retarded.
The rest of the story:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=533&e=3&u=/ap/20050726/ap_on_re_us/death_row_retarded
YORKTOWN, Va. - A lawyer for a death row inmate told jurors Tuesday his client was so limited mentally he couldn't get a driver's license or make the school football team. But a prosecutor said Daryl Atkins' claimed mental retardation was a ploy to avoid execution.
"None of his teachers, friends or family believed Daryl was mentally retarded until he was facing the death penalty," Commonwealth's Attorney Eileen Addison said during opening statements.
But defense lawyer Mark Olive portrayed Atkins as someone who struggled through life because of his limited mental abilities.
"He was teased unmercifully as a child because of mental slowness," Olive said.
Get used to this people. The USSC opened up this escape route and an increasing number of inmates on Death Row will be attempting to use it. Eventually, you'll have the philosophy: "Only a mentally incompetent person would commit a crime. Ergo, they are not responsible for their actions."
Evidently, being stupid in school is the same as being mentally retarded.
The rest of the story:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=533&e=3&u=/ap/20050726/ap_on_re_us/death_row_retarded