Ban OKd on Executing Mentally Retarded Cons
Texas lawmakers passed a bill that would ban the execution of murderers who are found to be mentally retarded.
“This legislation is a major step forward that proves we can be tough on crime and still have compassionate justice, even in the wild, wild West,” said Senate sponsor Rodney Ellis, a Democrat.
Gov. Rick Perry, George W. Bush’s Republican successor, has not said whether he would sign the measure into law. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the issue is pending.
Under the bill, a trial jury would determine whether a defendant is mentally retarded. Such a finding would convert a death sentence to life in prison.
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