Warren Hill Faces Execution In Georgia Again

[puckstopshere]

Georgia is set to carry out an unconstitutional execution while the prisoner’s case is still pending at the US Supreme Court. The high court, as a guardian of the rule of law in this country, must not let this happen. They must stay the execution.

In 2002, the US Supreme Court banned execution of prisoners with “mental retardation” as unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment. Warren Hill, with an IQ of 70, was ruled by a judge to be “mentally retarded” by a preponderance of the evidence. But in Georgia, as in no other state, prisoners must prove their “mental retardation” beyond a reasonable doubt. Defining and measuring “mental retardation” is not an exact science – even IQ scores can vary based on the type of test given – so proving it beyond a reasonable doubt is virtually impossible.

By using this unreasonable “reasonable doubt” standard, Georgia has found a way to evade the spirit of the Supreme Court’s important 2002 decision, and to continue killing intellectually disabled prisoners.

Mental health and disability groups like the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) and the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities oppose Mr. Hill’s execution. And, as the Georgia Council’s Executive Director Eric Jacobson points out this week in the Huffington Post, several jurors and the victim’s family also object to the state’s continued efforts to put Warren Hill to death.

Last summer, Richard Handspike, speaking for the victim’s family, wrote in a letter to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles: “I and my family feel strongly that persons with any kind of significant mental disabilities should not be put to death.”

The Georgia Board, however, rejected calls for clemency.

So the Supreme Court needs to step in. Prohibiting execution of the “mentally retarded” should mean just that. And with Warren Hill’s case the Supreme Court can make that clear.

http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/warren-hill-faces-execution-in-georgia-again/

[pigdog47]

I found this reply quite interesting that was posted below the article provided in the link:

"Let's tell the whole story (which of course you'd prefer your readers and followers were unaware). 1. Hill GRADUATED High School. 2. Hill was accepted, enlisted, and served in the U.S. Navy --- even being promoted at least once. 3. In 1985 he brutaly murdered his 18 year old girlfriend shooting her more than 20 times. 4. He was sentenced to life in prison. 5. In 1990 while serving his life sentence Hill was intelligent enough to obtain a 2 by 4 with nails sticking out and use it to beat to death another inmate. 6. Hill is convicted and sentenced to death for his SECOND murder. 7. His attorneys hire a clinical psychologist to the defense team - he determines and testifies Hill has a 77 IQ. (threshold for retardation is 69). 8. A competent defense team file appeal after appeal but the conviction and sentence stand. 9. After other appeals fail - his defense team plays the "mental retardation" card. His IQ is suddenly dropped to 70. I for one hope 5 Supreme Court Justices never buy it. Your framing these issues with selective and cherry picked info cracks me up."

[nuvistors]

As usual, The Left is long on Fiction and short on Facts.

He  did the crime, he should pay the price.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Seems a lot of people do not understand mental retardation.

[pigdog47]

I think John Gacy requested a bucket of KFC and Diet Coke for his Last Meal.

[dipmicro]

Whats the logic behind mentally challenged getting free pass on murder?

[ilurkthereforiam]

Whats the logic behind mentally challenged getting free pass on murder?

It's believed that they are not smart enough to know that what they are doing is morally wrong.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Gacy last meal: 12 deep-fried shrimp, a bucket of original recipe chicken from KFC, French fries, and a pound of strawberries

Some, will not get a choice.

[brandeentertainment]

IF the person really is Mentally retarded is it better to have him with a bunch of phsyco's in jail for the rest of his life .. Where he will be teased taunted and made to think bad i good and most likely used..

Either way lock em up throw away the key or execute him .. I would beg to killed if I was sentenced to life in jail I would not need a doctor and a lawyer tyo play any card ..

I always thought the death penalty was the easy way out and it should be no longer allowed anywhere ...

You rape and kill 15 women 25 years general population here you go .. Now that is justice ...

I don't know the guy to say what he deserve but judging by the facts if they are fact on this post I would say not retarded maybe crazy but to to graduate and be in the armyt etc. etc. the guy knows you just can;t shoot people for fun ..

[nuvistors]

Seems a lot of people do not understand mental retardation.

How many free passes do you think he should get ?

he has already shown that he is intelligent enough to kill  at least 2 people in cold blood.

Do you think he should get the chance to kill again ?

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Anyone can kill anyone....it doesn't take 'intelligent' to pull it off.

No one said he should get a chance to kill again. The discussion is about execution. Keeping him in jail for the rest of his life I have no problem with.....and not out of punishment but just to keep society safe.

[ilurkthereforiam]

Adolf Hitler killed a lot of mentally challenged.

I find it repulsive to think that there are people who think it is ok to give them capitol punishment.

My biggest concern is that I doubt that he would given a fair trial and due to his intellect he wouldn't know whether he was getting the fair trial that he deserved.

[pigdog47]

Lurk, I think a long appeal process thoroughly investigates every aspect of the trial and verdict reached.  Maybe it wasn't like that a few decades ago, but death row inmates get to jump through a lot of hoops nowadays.

[ilurkthereforiam]

No they don't.

In the US you have a much better chance of getting a fair trial if you have lots of money.

The poor in the stupid don't get fair trials down there.

It's not a heck of a lot better up here.

[nuvistors]

No they don't.

In the US you have a much better chance of getting a fair trial if you have lots of money.

The poor in the stupid don't get fair trials down there.

It's not a heck of a lot better up here.

Rich men like OJ  can get away with murder.

For others it is the facts that dertemine the outcome of the trial.

[pigdog47]

 Likely the rich sometimes don't end up being found guilty even if they are by virtue of legal Dream Teams of defence attorneys, but  death row inmates have the benefit of having every aspect of their case examined and reexamined.  What is the average timespan nowadays (I wonder ) between being sentenced to death, and actually getting served the purple KoolAid?  How many years till every last appeal is exhausted?  

[brandeentertainment]

Fyi Sorry everybody for using the word Retarded my fingers got ahead of me there ... My bad

It strange though right to me if a Mentally Challenged person does a crime they have to pay for it .. How not for me to judge but Law is Law ...

Lurk you say it is repulsive and at this time I will niether agree or disagree but ask you this .. If you sat across the courtroom from a Mentally challenged person who took the life of the one you love most in let's say and hack saw type of way would you still find it disgusting that they would hang THE PERSON responsible..

I think in matters if they a mentally challenge my question is to what extent does it matter and when does it not matter anymore ... After they kill 1,2,3 chop an little kid into pieces kill some catd and dogs..

This i think without Realy experience is hard to say what is truly right or truly wrong and not what we may feel is right or wrong..

If he has kill 2 people who will be the 3rd or will there be a third and if the third is your spouse will you wish they would have taken care of it instead of just giving them medication for 2 years then sending them back on the streets ...

OOO This one is a tough one

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Warren Hill: 10 reasons why Georgia should not execute him

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/23/warren-hill-georgia-execution-10-reasons 

[brandeentertainment]

that is 8 reasonm that make 1 reason with 2 other reason but i would agree if the family feels that way ... The law is so sacrewed up the only reason that meant anything to me personally was the families feelings towards it ..

[ilurkthereforiam]

Lurk you say it is repulsive and at this time I will neither agree or disagree but ask you this .. If you sat across the courtroom from a Mentally challenged person who took the life of the one you love most in let's say and hack saw type of way would you still find it disgusting that they would hang THE PERSON responsible..

Yes I would.

Is it fair to kill a dog that was abused because it attacked and killed someone.

The mentally challenged are at a major disadvantage in society.

I do not trust the police and prosecutors enough to allow them to hang people.

If you change the laws so that anyone caught tampering with evidence on a capitol case gets the death penalty I may change my mind.

Imo one of the reasons OJ got off was because policeman was caught tampering with the evidence.

Imo Ferman should have been tried and sent to death row for what he did.