Opinion ID: 2544415
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Jury Determination of Mental Retardation Status

Text: Hodges argues that the trial court erred by rejecting his request to have the jury determine whether he was mentally retarded. This Court has previously rejected the claim that a defendant is entitled to a jury determination of his mental retardation status. See, e.g., Nixon v. State, 2 So.3d 137, 145 (Fla.2009) ([A] defendant `has no right under Ring and Atkins [v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304, 122 S.Ct. 2242, 153 L.Ed.2d 335 (2002),] to a jury determination of whether he is mentally retarded.' (quoting Arbelaez v. State, 898 So.2d 25, 43 (Fla.2005))). Accordingly, the trial court in this case did not err by not presenting to the jury the issue of mental retardation as a bar to execution, and Hodges is not entitled to relief.