Retarded Killers May Not Be Executed, U.S. Supreme Court Rules

Bloomberg.com ^ | 6/20/02 | Greg Stohr

[GeneD]

Washington, June 20 (Bloomberg) -- The Constitution bars executions of mentally retarded killers, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, reversing a decision it made 13 years ago and ending a practice permitted in 20 states.

The 6-3 decision, invoking the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, said ``evolving standards of decency'' preclude sentencing the retarded to death. The ruling came in the case of a Virginia man convicted of a 1996 murder.

[Dog Gone]

I hope they defined "retarded."

[Pern]

Great, now all some murderer has to do is claim to be retarded (in P.C.: Mentaly Challenged) and they become wards of the state for the rest of their miserable lives.

I've said time and time again, The gene pool needs chlorine!

[vollmond]

I hope they define "evolving standards of decency".

[VadeRetro]

Everyone on death row just became retarded.

[jwalsh07]

Something tells me the left end of the Bell Curve is going to be heavily populated with convicted killers.

[CT]

Get ready for a RETARDATION EPIDEMIC.

Oops. Guess we already have one. They're called LIBERALS.

[dighton]

Everyone on death row just became retarded.

Yes indeed. This is an extraordinarily bad ruling.

[toddst]

Everyone on death row just became retarded.

Let's revise that - Everyone who is or ever will be on death row will now and forever more be mentally retarded. The Supremes just eliminated the death penalty in the US. How disgusting!

[jpl]

I hope they defined "retarded."

I'm not certain, but I think this means that no liberals can ever be executed anymore.

[John W]

I suppose it depends on how you define "decency" and "evolving".

[AmusedBystander]

Poor Rickey Ray Rector, a ruling sooner and Bill wouldn't have been able to use him to get more votes.

[goodieD]

Having worked with the Special Olympics program, I can tell you that a great number of retarded (yes that's what they are) kids know the difference between right and wrong. IQ is not a measure of conscience.

[Wolfie]

I think this is a good lesson in the general failure of the
Constitution. Apparently, it now means something different
than it did 13 years ago.

[Zathras]

What difference does it make, He's been here longer than you.

[Age of Reason]

This means retarded people cannot understand the serious nature of criminal behavior, and so they are not competent enough to enjoy the rights of free citizens and should be institutionalized.

I cannot see how retarded people and their defenders can have it both ways. Being a free citizen requires the ability to be responsible to oneself and to fellow citizens.

Someone who is incapable of understanding that killing or robbing is bad and has consequences, should not be free to roam among us.

[HAL9000]

The problem with executing retarded people is that the power was abused by certain politicians.

Bill Clinton executed Rickey Ray Rector in order to dodge questions about the Gennifer Flowers scandal during the 1992 New Hampshire primary campaign.