Instead, the court invented its own approach to intellectual disability to identify offenders whom “Texas citizens would agree” should be exempted from the death penalty. As a result, inmates who would have been found ineligible for execution in every other state have been denied relief in the Texas courts. The Supreme Court will now review the Texas approach. Unfortunately, the Texas courts have not yet heard the message. Texas still executes individuals who would be deemed intellectually disabled for all other purposes, and the Texas courts still search for the mythical “Lennie” rather than follow well-established professional practices.

Source: Washington Post November 28, 2016 13:30 UTC