Texas Executes Man With IQ of 61; State Cites Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” To Justify Killing (DN!)

[G_j]

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/8/8/texas_executes_man_with_iq_of


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. Feltz reads from a statement by the son of legendary author John Steinbeck condemning Texas for using Steinbeck’s fictional character, Lennie Small, from "Of Mice and Men," as a "benchmark to identify whether defendants with intellectual disability should live or die."

"On behalf of the family of John Steinbeck, I am deeply troubled by today’s scheduled execution of Marvin Wilson," Thomas Steinbeck wrote. "The character of Lennie was never intended to be used to diagnose a medical condition like intellectual disability. I find the whole premise to be insulting, outrageous, ridiculous, and profoundly tragic. I am certain that if my father, John Steinbeck, were here, he would be deeply angry and ashamed to see his work used in this way." [Transcript to come. Check back soon.]




http://www.democracynow.org/2012/8/8/texas_executes_man_with_iq_of

[spanone]

1. so, they're referencing fiction to justify putting a man to death....

God help them.

[msanthrope]

5. Not just referencing...they based their entire 'standard' on the character of

Lennie Small.

It's mind-bogglingly disgusting....

[Comrade_McKenzie]

2. I don't know what's more shocking... the death or the fact that Texas reads. nt

[n2doc]

6. They might have just watched a film version n/t

[Egalitarian Thug]

3. And most of them are proud that their state executes far more people than any other state.

More than the next 5 of the most bloodthirsty states since 1976. 38% of the overall U.S. total. Remove the rest of the confederacy (and Floriduh) from the equation and Texas has killed two and a half times the rest of the nation combined.

How very Christian of them.

K&R

Edit: link to the numbers.

[G_j]

4. I would be interested to see TX stats

compared to whole countries.

[patrice]

7. Every last thing that went wrong, each and every harm, ALL that is bad is made into the WORST

damages possible by capital punishment.

[G_j]

9. well said

true..

[sabrina 1]

11. So true. It is a barbaric practice.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Oh, I get it. Texas killed him for his own good.

As I recall, George shot Lennie to spare him from the almost certain lynching or execution awaiting him. What was Texas sparing Marvin Wilson from?

[G_j]

10. ...

k

[woo me with science]

12. So much in this country right now

just calls for weeping.

[G_j]

13. certainly the call of our "better angels"

is mostly being lost amid the noise of fear and hatred.