Texas Executes Man With IQ of 61; State Cites Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” To Justify Killing - Polidicks

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqezDimxzs8&feature=player_embedded[/media] [quote]Last night, Texas executed 54-year-old Marvin Wilson, despite evidence that he was mentally disabled and reportedly sucked his thumb into adulthood. Wilson’s lawyers had argued that an IQ test on which Wilson scored 61 — nine points below the standard for competency — should have saved him from execution under a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling barring execution of the intellectually disabled. Wilson is the second prisoner in Texas to be executed by a new lethal injection method involving a single drug. We speak with Democracy Now! producer Renée Feltz, who has long reported on the death penalty, especially in Texas, where she has covered the state’s ongoing execution of developmentally disabled prisoners.[/quote] [url=http://www.alternet.org/hot-news-views/texas-executes-man-iq-61-state-cites-steinbecks-mice-and-men-justify-killing]SOURCE[/url]

o texas [editline]9th August 2012[/editline] y'all

Honestly, even if they are mentally retarded. A criminal is a criminal, they are also people, they should have the same rights and restrictions and repercussions as any other citizen. [editline][/editline] and yes I realize how extremely handicapped he is. I still see it the same.

Bad argument. But IQ tests are also a very poor judge of intelligence.

at least they used a good book? that's a win for Texas literacy??

[QUOTE=thisispain;37143445]at least they used a good book? that's a win for Texas literacy??[/QUOTE] Texas literacy? what what what since when??

[QUOTE=MaxOfS2D;37143465]Texas literacy? what what what since when??[/QUOTE] since you frenchies stopped rioting

Only in Texas could they murder mentally challenged people and get away with it.

[QUOTE=thisispain;37143445]at least they used a good book? that's a win for Texas literacy??[/QUOTE] there weren't any copies of the book in Texas so they had to import it

I know for a fact that people will act more stupid on the IQ tests than they really are. I was reading through a case file once, and this guy, who isn't completely retarded, scored around 51 on the IQ test. Sure. The guy made some spelling errors once in a while, and shot his wife with a sawed off shotgun then claimed it was an accident, but his IQ is definitely above 51. All that to say that you can't trust an IQ test, and especially not when someone has something riding on the outcome.

This is murder. (Executions always are though)

IMO IQ tests are very bad measure to use for anything. But in the video they explain he had a lot of mental functioning issues which were obvious, so it's unfortunate for him. Although he did shoot his wife, so I guess not.

The title made me think they executed him because of his IQ. It's a bit misleading, but what exactly did he do?

[quote]reportedly sucked his thumb into adulthood[/quote] It has like, absolutely nothing to do with the IQ or the guy's mental stability.

[QUOTE=MaxOfS2D;37143465]Texas literacy? what what what since when??[/QUOTE] wow mean

Execution on itself is bad and never justified.

[QUOTE=MaxOfS2D;37143465]Texas literacy? what what what since when??[/QUOTE] Oh man, aren't you witty.

Fuck yeah the power to end peoples lives!!!

[QUOTE=-Get_A_Life-;37143572]It has like, absolutely nothing to do with the IQ or the guy's mental stability.[/QUOTE] What? Yes it does, how could that have nothing to do with his mental capacity? Pretty sure thumb-sucking is part of a stage of early childhood

Here's a better article: [quote](CBS/AP) HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The state of Texas executed convicted killer Marvin Wilson Tuesday, after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his lawyers argument that he shouldn't have been eligible for the death penalty due to his low IQ. Wilson, 54, was pronounced dead Tuesday evening after receiving a lethal injection at the state prison in Huntsville. In their appeal to the Supreme Court, Wilson's attorneys argued he was too mentally impaired for capital punishment, pointing to a 2004 psychological test that pegged his IQ at 61, below the generally accepted minimum competency standard of 70. But lower courts agreed with state attorneys, who argued that Wilson's claim was based on a single, and possibly faulty, test. His mental impairment claim wasn't supported by other tests and assessments over the years. Lead defense attorney Lee Kovarsky said he was "gravely disappointed and saddened" by the ruling, calling it "outrageous that the state of Texas continues to utilize unscientific guidelines ... to determine which citizens with intellectual disability are exempt from execution." Wilson was convicted of murdering 21-year-old police informant Jerry Williams in November 1992. The murder happened several days after police seized 24 grams of cocaine from Wilson's apartment and arrested him. Witnesses testified that Wilson, who was free on bond, and another man, beat Williams outside of a convenience store, accusing Williams of snitching on him about the drugs. They said the men abducted Williams, and neighborhood residents said they heard a gunshot a short time later. Williams was found dead on the side of a road the next day. In Wilson's Supreme Court appeal, Kovarsky said Wilson's language and math skills "never progressed beyond an elementary school level," that he reads and writes below a second-grade level and that he was unable to manage his finances, pay bills or hold down a job. The Supreme Court issued a 2002 ruling outlawing the execution of the mentally impaired, but left it to states to determine what constitutes mental impairment. Kovarsky argued that Texas was trying to skirt the ban by altering the generally accepted definitions of mental impairment to the point where gaining relief for an inmate is "virtually unobtainable." Edward Marshall, a Texas assistant attorney general, said records showed that Wilson habitually gave less than full effort (on the testing) and "was manipulative and deceitful when it suited his interest," and that the state considered his ability to show personal independence and social responsibility in making its determinations. "Considering Wilson's drug-dealing, street-gambler, criminal lifestyle since an early age, he was obviously competent at managing money, and not having a 9-to-5 job is no critical failure," Marshall said. "Wilson created schemes using a decoy to screen his thefts, hustled for jobs in the community, and orchestrated the execution of the snitch, demonstrating inventiveness, drive and leadership."[/quote] Whether he's retarded or not, they shouldn't have executed him. Not because of the severity of what he did, but because capital punishment is wrong.

[QUOTE=Exxon;37143414]Honestly, even if they are mentally retarded. A criminal is a criminal, they are also people, they should have the same rights and restrictions and repercussions as any other citizen. [editline][/editline] and yes I realize how extremely handicapped he is. I still see it the same.[/QUOTE] the usual justification for capital punishment is additional deterrence on top of prison (whether or not you think it works as a deterrence is irrelevant) deterrence won't work against retarded people therefore we revert back to the containment function of the penal system - imprisonment

But did he have a Facebook account!?

Despicable actions by the state of Texas. The fact that the conservative Republicans applaud Texas and it's fastest rate of death row to execution is even more despicable. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcVGzqwfx7k[/media]

I never really saw the point of criticizing them for physically cheering the death penalty. It's the penalty itself that is the wrongdoing.

How Forrest Gump could have ended.

[QUOTE=MaxOfS2D;37143465]Texas literacy?[/QUOTE] Great oxymoron.

Isn't using of Mice and Men ironic as one of the points of the book is that Lennie is fundamentally innocent of all his actions.

Here is a better argument, he might have scored 61 but it's typical in those parts so might as well!

[QUOTE=maurits150;37143607]Execution on itself is bad and never justified.[/QUOTE] Why does this post have so many disagrees? Please explain to me how execution is in any way justified. Especially when you consider the kind of people who run the show that allow things like this to happen.

[QUOTE=Boxbot219;37144167]Why does this post have so many disagrees? Please explain to me how execution is in any way justified. Especially when you consider the kind of people who run the show that allow things like this to happen.[/QUOTE] Some people think vengeance is justice, that is why that post has so many disagrees.