Supreme Court dismisses Alabama's bid to execute inmate with borderline intellectual disability
Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Alabama’s request to allow the execution of Joseph Clifton Smith, a man found by lower courts to have an intellectual disability. This means Smith will not be executed, following previous court decisions that protect people with intellectual disabilities from the death penalty.Key Facts
- Joseph Clifton Smith is 55 years old and has been on death row for around 25 years.
- He was convicted for beating a man to death in 1997.
- Lower courts ruled that Smith has an intellectual disability.
- The Supreme Court forbids executing people with intellectual disabilities, a rule set in 2002.
- In 2014 and 2017, the Court said states must consider more than just IQ tests when deciding if someone is borderline disabled.
- The Supreme Court’s recent decision was split, meaning not all justices agreed.
- Alabama wanted permission to carry out the execution despite these protections.
- The Supreme Court’s dismissal leaves lower court rulings protecting Smith in place.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.