Plain-English summary
Can a state require a defendant to prove an IQ of 70 or less by a preponderance to qualify as intellectually disabled in
This case asks whether, consistent with Atkins v. Virginia, a State may force a death-row prisoner to prove intellectual disability by showing an IQ of 70 or less by a preponderance of the evidence and how courts should weigh multiple IQ scores. The petition challenges Alabama’s evidentiary rule for proving intellectual disability in capital cases.
Why this matters
The Court’s decision will shape how intellectual disability is proven in death-penalty cases across the country. Atkins prohibits executing people with intellectual disability, but states and courts differ on how to measure and weigh IQ test results and what burden of proof a defendant must meet. This case could standardize (or permit variation in) evidentiary rules that determine who is eligible for the death penalty.
Who may feel it
- People facing the death penalty who raise intellectual-disability claims
- State and federal courts that decide Atkins claims
- Defense attorneys and prosecutors in capital cases
- Psychologists and experts who administer or interpret IQ tests
- State departments of corrections and parole boards
Key questions
- Under Atkins v. Virginia, may a State require a person claiming intellectual disability to prove an IQ of 70 or lower by a preponderance of the evidence?