Which court decision disallows the death penalty for mentally retarded persons?

• A. Atkins v. Virginia
• B. Ring v. Arizona
• C. Furman v. Georgia
• D. Gregg v. Georgia

Answer: (A)

The main idea is whether the death penalty can be imposed on someone with intellectual disability. In Atkins v. Virginia (2002), the Supreme Court ruled that executing individuals with intellectual disability violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The Court emphasized diminished culpability and evolving standards of decency, concluding that it is disproportionate and inappropriate to execute someone whose cognitive and adaptive-functioning impairments undermine the moral relevance of retribution and deterrence. States are allowed to assess intellectual disability using standard criteria and to exempt such individuals from capital punishment.

For context, other landmark decisions address different aspects of capital punishment: Furman v. Georgia addressed arbitrary imposition of the death penalty, leading to reforms; Gregg v. Georgia upheld the death penalty with procedural safeguards; Ring v. Arizona requires juries, not judges, to determine aggravating factors. But none of these prohibit the death penalty specifically for mentally retarded defendants the way Atkins does.