Freddie Lee Hall mentally challenged; Florida morally challenged

Freddie Lee Hall gets his day in court today. It's not an ordinary court, but the Supreme Court of the United States. Hall, 68, has been on Florida's Death Row on and off since the 1980's for a kidnapping and murder, crimes of which his guilt is not in question. What is in question is whether Hall's low IQ precludes Florida from killing him in violation of the Supreme Court's 2002 ban on state sponsored murder of the mentally disabled as a violation of Eighth Amendment prohibition against 'cruel and unusual punishment'. The Supremes didn't qualify what constituted "mentally disabled" opening a loophole for states to set the bar low to kill the most undesirables possible. Florida, along with several other blood lusting states, have the lowest threshold for strapping on the electrodes, a cool 70 IQ points. Hit that magic number and you die. Hall did and will unless the High Court says "NO". While his most recent scores ranged from 69 to 74, putting a bulls eye on his back, he's tested as low as 60 in nine tests over a 40 year period beginning in 1968. One judge in his many cases concluded he has been mentally disabled his entire life since at least the 1950's. Oddly, that 74 IQ score still makes Hall considered mentally disabled under Florida law and eligible for public assistance and help getting a job.

Hmmm, in Florida if your IQ test hits 75 you're still mentally disabled enough for public assistance. But test 70 after a heinous crime and you're no longer mentally disabled; just eligible for assistance in walking the Green Mile. While Freddie Lee Hall is mentally challenged, Florida is just plain dumb.