The public defender assigned to represent Jones learned that he was oxygen-deprived at birth and had a lithium deficiency — a condition linked to serious psychiatric disorders. Jones’s medical records showed that he was medicated for mood disorders, had attempted suicide and was admitted to a mental hospital.
Despite having access to this information, Jones’s attorney did not further investigate his mental health until after he was convicted.
Jones’s lawyer presented three witnesses during sentencing, including a doctor to testify about his mental health issues. Dr. Jack Potts was only able to conduct a short examination of Jones, however, so his report was less than one page of analysis. Dr. Potts advocated for more testing, but the request was denied.
Like, setting aside the death penalty in general for a second, this is just a flagrant disregard of legal precedent when it comes to legal competency and ineffective assistance of counsel.
“When a capital defendant claims that he was prejudiced at sentencing because counsel failed to present available mitigating evidence, a court must decide whether it is reasonably likely that the additional evidence would have avoided a death sentence,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority.
The George W. Bush appointee said the Arizona Supreme Court has never vacated a death sentence for someone who committed multiple murders or any of the other aggravating circumstances in Jones’ case.
If true, it sounds like those mitigating factors wouldn’t have changed a thing
I mean,
Like, setting aside the death penalty in general for a second, this is just a flagrant disregard of legal precedent when it comes to legal competency and ineffective assistance of counsel.
Everything here to make any difference, a person would have to have compassion. You won’t find that in Republican judges.
If true, it sounds like those mitigating factors wouldn’t have changed a thing
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