Opinion ID: 1107688
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Claims of mental retardation.

Text: ¶ 20. Branch asserts that he has not been afforded an opportunity to present a mental retardation claim. He asserts that such claims are appropriate for post-conviction proceedings but he was forced to present the issue on direct appeal. He further asserts that he has tried to comply with the requirements of Chase v. State, 873 So.2d 1013 (Miss.2004) and this Court has consistently refused to allow him to comply. ¶ 21. In Chase, this Court set the limits and defined the procedure which will safeguard the Eighth Amendment protection of mentally retarded persons, as required by Atkins. Chase was handed down on May 20, 2004  seven weeks after Branch's direct appeal was submitted on March 31, 2004, and one week before Branch's direct appeal was decided on May 27, 2004. ¶ 22. Branch filed a motion for rehearing and argued that he must be given an opportunity to comply with the procedure established in Chase. Attached to Branch's motion for rehearing as Exhibit A was an undated affidavit from Daniel Grant, Ph.D. [2] The State filed a motion to strike the exhibit, and this Court granted the motion. Branch v. State, 2004 Miss. LEXIS 1219 (Miss. Sept. 30, 2004). ¶ 23. First, Branch's argument that he has not had a single opportunity to present a mental retardation claim is false. The issue of Branch's mental retardation was considered on its merits. Specifically, this Court held: The burden of proof is on the defendant claiming mental retardation. Goodin [v. State], 856 So.2d at 276 (¶ 22). In Goodin, we pointed out that: The Legislature adopted the following standard in Miss.Code Ann. § 41-21-61(f) (Rev.2001), dealing with commitments, which states in part: (f) Mentally retarded person means any person (i) who has been diagnosed as having substantial limitations in present functioning, manifested before age eighteen (18), characterized by significantly subaverage intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with related limitations in two or more of the following applicable adaptive skill areas: communication, self-care, home living, social skills, community use, self-direction, health and safety, functional academics, leisure and work . . . Goodin, 856 So.2d at 276-77 (¶ 23). Branch argues that he is mentally retarded and, therefore, cannot be executed for this crime. In support of his argument, Branch relies solely on the Psychological Evaluation performed by the Region VI Mental Health-Mental Retardation Center on March 15, 1985, and the synopsis of that diagnosis in the 2002 court-ordered evaluation performed after Branch was arrested. Both documents were available to trial counsel; however, apparently as part of a trial strategy, neither document was used in the trial of this case. At the time of the 1985 evaluation, Branch was five years, three months old. Then seventeen years later and after his arrest in this case, the trial court ordered W. Criss Lott, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, to perform a mental evaluation on Branch. In doing so, Dr. Lott acknowledged the previous testing: On that evaluation [Branch] obtained an IQ of 68 on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Form L-M. He also obtained an IQ of 41 on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Form B, and a Social Age Equivalent of 6.0 and Social Quotient of 113 (this appears to be a mistake). He also obtained a mental score of 3 years 6 months on the Goodenough-Draw-A-Man-Test. At that time he received the diagnosis of mild mental retardation with unknown etiology. However, the March 10, 2002, forensic mental evaluation of Branch reveals a different result. Branch was administered two separate tests. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) revealed a verbal IQ of 91 (low average range), a performance IQ of 76 (borderline range), and a full scale IQ of 84 (low average range). The Wide Range Achievement Test-III (WRAT-3) revealed a reading score in the average range and at the high school level; the arithmetic score was in the low average range and at a sixth grade level. Dr. Lott indicated that the results are considered an accurate reflection of his current level of functioning. While Branch may have manifested intellectual limitations at the age of five, he does not have substantial limitations in present functioning which exist[] concurrently with related limitations in two or more of the following applicable adaptive skill areas: communication, self-care, home living, social skills, community use, self-direction, health and safety, functional academics, leisure and work. In fact, Branch has displayed no limitations in these adaptive skills areas. At the time of the evaluation, Branch was appropriately groomed and properly maintained personal hygiene, possessed a driver's license, was responsible for buying clothing, groceries, and personal items. He completed school through the 9th grade and attended GED classes. Branch was employed at the time of his arrest. Branch performed household chores for relatives and people in the neighborhood. He helped raise money for the church and community. Under these facts, Branch has not made a prima facie showing that he falls within the category of persons protected under Atkins. Under the guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association, Branch only meets the third criterion, that consisting of an onset of the manifestation prior to age 18; however, Branch fails to meet either of the first two criterion. Therefore, this issue is without merit. Branch, 882 So.2d at 50-51. ¶ 24. Branch filed his Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court on December 29, 2004, and his petition was placed on the docket January 4, 2005 as No. 04-7946. Branch v. Mississippi, 544 U.S. 907, 125 S.Ct. 1595, 161 L.Ed.2d 282 (2005). In his third issue before the United States Supreme Court, Branch argued that this Court was required to consider Dr. Grant's affidavit in light of the intervening decision in Chase. The U.S. Supreme Court denied Branch's petition for writ of certiorari on March 7, 2005. Id. ¶ 25. In Chase, we set forth specific requirements to be followed by the small number of persons with mental retardation claims convicted before Atkins and Chase were handed down. Chase, 873 So.2d at 1023. This Court made clear that as a person convicted before Atkins was handed down, Chase could not be constitutionally denied the opportunity to present his mental retardation claim to the trial court where he had demonstrated that his IQ fell within the range of possible mental retardation, and he presented an affidavit of a mental health care professional that he suffered from mild retardation. Id. Here, Branch has not complied with the necessary procedures nor provided the necessary documentation to rightfully comply with our holding in Chase. Therefore, we decline to grant relief on this issue.