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Case Study On Renard Atkins

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What are the facts of the case?
Location: York County Court, Virginia
Date: Feb. 20th, 2002
Advocates: James W. Ellis and Pamela A. Rumpz
Daryl Renard Atkins was charged with murder, armed robbery, abduction.
Atkins had one witness, a forensic psychologist, who testified that Atkins was “mildly mentally disabled”.
Jury sentenced Atkins to death but supreme court ordered a second sentencing hearing.
This was because the first had a misleading verdict form.
During resentencing the same forensic psychologist testified, but this time the State rebutted Atkins' intelligence.
Jury Sentenced him to death again
However, he could not be sentenced to death because he was mentally ill.
Why was this case brought to the Supreme Court?
This case was brought to the Supreme Court because …show more content…

How was it at issue?
This violated the 8th amendment and the court issued the exemption of the death penalty for those you are mentally disabled. It was at issue because those who were mentally disabled were being put on death row which could be considered cruel and unusual punishment in some states who have already passed laws against this. 3) How and why did the Supreme Court decide the case as it did?
The original trial included misleading questions by the trial court, so there was a second hearing was held, but the court made the same decision as the first time, that Atkins be sentenced to death. This decision was made in 1996, but Atkins was commuted to life in 2006 because he was considered mentally disabled. 4) How did this case change how we understand or interpret the Constitution? (Or has the potential impact to change in the future?)
This case changes how we understand the constitution because it allows different states to interpret it differently. Some see it as different rules for the mentally disabled which allows them to bend the constitution accordingly. 5) Were there dissenting opinions? Why did they

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