Texas set to execute mentally disabled prisoner

[claud3]

A medically diagnosed “mentally retarded” prisoner will be executed by lethal injection in Texas on Tuesday, even though it violates the US Constitution.

Texas rejects scientific consensus and uses its own definition of learning disabilities – based on Lennie Small, a central character in John Steinbeck’s classic novel, Of Mice and Men. In Texas, those classified as “mildly retarded” may be executed.In the novel, the mentally disabled Lennie Small is executed by a friend after accidentally killing a woman on the farm where he works. Texas claims that anyone less impaired than the fictional Lennie should receive no constitutional protection from execution by the state.

But Marvin Wilson, a 54-year old man awaiting execution for the 1992 murder of a police drug informant, has been diagnosed as “mentally retarded” by the state’s own courts. In addition to a number of tests carried out by a neuropsychologist, Wilson underwent an eight-hour interview that contributed to the diagnosis. His school records show that he reads and writes on the level of a seven-year old, and was kept in special education classes.Wilson struggled with simple tasks throughout his life. Being unable to manage his own money, cut the grass, dress himself properly or use a ladder, neuropsychologists determined his IQ was in the lowest percentile of the population. But the state of Texas, applying its Lennie Small criteria, did not carry out any cognitive assessments of the prisoner, and requested no testimony.

Many details in addition to the state’s disregard of Wilson’s mental disability leave questions unanswered. Wilson was one of two perpetrators in the murder, and his mental illness likely left him more vulnerable than his accomplice. The main witness against him was the accomplice's wife, who in trying to save her husband, claims Wilson pulled the trigger. Still, Wilson is due to be executed by lethal injection on Tuesday. “If Wilson is executed on Tuesday, Texas will be rendering the US Supreme Court’s Eighth Amendment prohibition on the execution of mentally retarded prisoners a prohibition in name only,”

said the defendant’s lawyer.

In 2011, Texas executed 13 prisoners. Almost every year, Texas tops the list as the state with the most executions. It is also among the states with the largest population of inmates on death row, according to data from the Bureau of Justice. Wilson’s lawyer is petitioning the Supreme Court today for a stay of execution to provide additional time to prove the man’s disability.

If his petition is rejected, Wilson will be put to death in a country where the 49 other states would have let him live.

http://rt.com/usa/news/texas-prisone...-retarded-005/

I am totally speechless and in two,minds about this

[keefy]

If true Using a piece of fiction as a guideline to come to decision like this is utterly ridiculous.

[Lethal_NFS]

So you are telling that Texas is going to kill Sling Blade?

[DeviousOne]

I perfer your threads that do not involved someone being shot or killed...LOL

[Kuro]

What's up with the depressing threads lately man?

[keefy]

What's up with the depressing threads lately man?

Thts what news is like I don't often watch it because all it is is bad news.

Murder shooting stabbing assualt burglary rape arson stolen war rebels.

Lately I started to call it "depression"

[Kuro]

Thts what news is like I don't often watch it because all it is is bad news.

Murder shooting stabbing assualt burglary rape arson stolen war rebels.

Lately I started to call it "depression"

Yeah I know I don't really watch much news anyways always something like you said. My post was mainly at Claud though.

[Chille]

Gah i cant use lawn mowers and i have trouble on ladders guess i wont be visiting texas again.

[claud3]

Because this is real life, and they are hot debate threads. That gets us talking, also i am not into this celebrity world people live in. I am not aiming that at anyone on the forum. But this fucking celebrity bullshit dominates the news, when real news happens. I mean mass murders, mass suicides, wars, corporate greed and real live

[Kuro]

I was just wondering man didn't mean to poke at you.

[claud3]

Never worry mate, i am just posting out the real world. You also know how the world works and never fall for this fucking celebrity evilness in the world

[Kuro]

Yeah I see what you mean by celebrities.

[claud3]

Cheers for knowning what i talking about. But i feel its right for people to know these threads, yes depressing as they are. They bring us in and we talk

[Royals]

It's funny that the biggest murderer in U.S history lives on a ranch in that very same state.

[claud3]

True. But it happens not just in the states mate lol

[F34R]

Just give him his shot, and be done with the criminal.

[MATRIX 2]

It's funny that the biggest murderer in U.S history lives on a ranch in that very same state.

[TRF]

So he's unable to properly read or write and can't perform simple tasks. That says nothing about his sense of right and wrong, so he should be tried and punished just like everyone else.

[F34R]

So he's unable to properly read or write and can't perform simple tasks. That says nothing about his sense of right and wrong, so he should be tried and punished just like everyone else.

He continued doing crimes.. 2 armed robberies and murder. He's able to do "things".

[radgamer420]

He continued doing crimes.. 2 armed robberies and murder. He's able to do "things".

Yep exactly. He knew exactly what he was doing.

[claud3]

So able and capable, means the end for this guy

[-Kwesnoth-]

It doesn't matter. I'm tired of hearing shit like that, mentally unstable man gets off for murder because he is not right in the head.

Well then execute him, and its one less crazy to deal with.

[F34R]

So able and capable, means the end for this guy

Apparently so.

[TRF]

He continued doing crimes.. 2 armed robberies and murder. He's able to do "things".

Only makes me wanna fry him even more.

[Morganator]

I think, FDR is worse.