Opinion ID: 1110827
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: IQ Testing.

Text: ¶ 69. Dr. Grant administered an extensive battery of tests to determine whether Hughes met the threshold for mental retardation. Some of the significant excerpts from Dr. Grant's affidavit are, as follows: Mr. Hughes' performance on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale  third edition (WAIS-III) yielded a verbal IQ of 65, (placing him at the 1 percentile), performance IQ of 69, (placing him on the 2 percentile), and a full-scale IQ of 64, (placing him at the 1 percentile). His performance also yielded the following index scores: verbal comprehension index of 65 (lowest 1 percentile); perceptual organization index of 70 (lowest 2 percentile); working memory index of 65 (lowest 1 percentile); perceptual speed index of 8l (lowest 10 percentile). This means there was not a significant difference between his verbal and performance intelligence scores, which indicates both skills are fairly evenly developed. All of Mr. Hughes scores on the WAIS-III fall within the mildly deficient range (which is the equivalent of mild mental retardation), with the exception of his score on the perceptual speed index. The perceptual speed index, however, does not measure reasoning and thinking; it measures perceptual speed and accuracy. William Ray Hughes's performance on the intellectual measures indicated that 98 to 99 percent of the population scored higher than he on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale  third edition. Mr. Hughes was also administered the Comprehensive Test of Verbal Intelligence (CTONI) This test is a comprehensive measure of nonverbal intelligence. Nonverbal intelligence refers to those abilities that are independent of language and that enhance a person ability to function intelligently. It is essentially a measure of nonverbal reasoning and of nonverbal problem solving. William Ray Hughes had a pictorial nonverbal IQ score of 55, a geometric nonverbal IQ score of 66, and a nonverbal IQ score of 57. His geometric nonverbal IQ score is a percentile rank of 1; the other two scores are less than a 1 percentile rank. This means that 99 percent or more of the population performed better between William Ray Hughes on these tests. (Emphasis added). ¶ 70. Additionally, Dr. Grant found these test results to be consistent with those reported in a psychological interview prepared by Vickie Jenkins, an employee of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Jenkins reported Hughes had an IQ of 67. ¶ 71. Although the test results and opinions provided by Dr. Grant are enough to require a hearing, there is more. Dr. Grant states that [t]he diagnosis of mental retardation involves three prongs: significantly sub-average intelligence; related limitations in two or more adaptive skills; and the presence of such sub-average intelligence and limitations prior to the 18th birthday. Having evaluated the intelligence prong, Dr. Grant moved to the adaptive skills, and stated: I believe, to a reasonable degree of professional certainty, that William Ray Hughes is significantly deficient in at least two areas of adaptive functioning. Having stated that Hughes meets the test we require under Chase, Dr. Grant explained how he reached his conclusions: Two of the areas of adaptive behavior that I assessed, and in which William Ray Hughes is significantly deficient, are communication skills and functional academics. William Ray Hughes' performance on the Kaufman Functional Academic Skills Test yielded a standard score of 58 (comparable to an IQ score) and a percentile rank of less than 1(in other words, more than 99 percent of the people taking this test within his range scored better than him). He achieved a functional reading skill standard of 58 and percentile rank of less than one percent. His composite standard score on the functional skills test was 55 with a percentile rank of less than one percent. His performance on the Wide Range Achievement Test  revision three (WRAT-3) yielded a reading recognition standard score of 49 with a corresponding grade score of 2.2, and a spelling standard of 51 with a corresponding grade of 2.1. Stated simply, he has the reading recognition and spelling abilities expected of someone in the second grade. His arithmetic performance yielded a standard score of 60 with a grade score of 3.6. His performance on all of the tests making up the WRAT-3 fall within the mildly deficient/mentally retarded range. His communication skills were assessed by administering the Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS), and the Expressive Vocabulary Test (EVT). Mr. Hughes' performance on the OWLS yielded a listening comprehension standard score of 61, and oral expression standard score of 60, and an oral composite standard score of 58. Listening comprehension scale items include lexical, syntactic, and supra linguistic skills. Categories of oral expression scale items include lexical, syntactic, and supra linguistic skills. Categories of oral expression scale items included lexical, syntactic, pragmatic and supra linguistic skills. The expressive vocabulary test measures an individual's ability to give a synonym for a provided word. Mr. Hughes' performance on this test yielded a standard score of less than 40, indicated a significant deficit in this skill, even for an individual of his level of intelligence. I administered the Independent Living Scales to Mr. Hughes. His performance on this test indicates significant deficits on the following subtests: managing money; managing home and transportation; health and safety; and social adjustment. William Ray Hughes' full-scale standard score (comparable to IQ score) on the Independent Living Scales was 66, which is very consistent with his full-scale IQ of 64 on the WAIS-III. Individuals who score within his range are not usually recommended for independent living. (Emphasis added). ¶ 72. Dr. Grant next evaluated Hughes's academic records to determine whether the mental retardation manifested prior to age eighteen. He stated: Review of Mr. Hughes' academic records revealed repeated social promotions. It reveals that he was 13 years old in the fifth grade and 17 years old when he left in the eighty grade. It also indicated that he repeated several grades, and that even though he failed a grade he was socially promoted into the next grade. In interviews with his siblings, the undersigned learned that they believed that he probably should have been in special education classes but their father would never have allowed it. Review of his educational records and his academic performance is consistent with an individual who is mildly mentally retarded. It is my opinion that he would have qualified for special education classes. It is my opinion, to a reasonable degree of professional certainty, that William Ray Hughes experienced such sub-average intelligence and limitations prior to his 18th birthday. It is therefore my clinical opinion, to a reasonable degree of psychological certainty, that Mr. Hughes clearly meets the criteria set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual  IV, and the 9th edition of the Mental Retardation Handbook of the American Association of Mental Retardation criteria for mild mental retardation. It is my clinical opinion, to a reasonable degree of psychological certainty, that William Ray Hughes is mildly mentally retarded. (Emphasis added). ¶ 73. There is evidence in the record that Hughes scored higher when administered some of these same tests by another professional. This simply presents us with a conflict in the evidence of test results. As for professional opinions of whether Hughes is mentally retarded, there is only one in this record: that he is. ¶ 74. William Ray Hughes committed a crime which certainly justifies the penalty of death. However, if he is mentally retarded  even slightly  the State does not have the right to execute him under the law, a law we are sworn to uphold, whether we agree with it or not. ¶ 75. Is Hughes mentally retarded? Reviewing the test results, hospital notes and opinions in this case convinces me that I simply am not qualified to answer the question. But neither is the majority. There is, at a minimum, sufficient evidence of mental retardation to warrant a hearing in the trial court on the matter. Should the trial court determine Hughes is not mentally retarded, his execution will not violate Atkins. ¶ 76. For the reasons stated herein, I respectfully dissent from this Court's denial of a hearing in the trial court on whether Hughes is mentally retarded. I agree, in all other respects, with the majority. COBB, P.J., JOINS THIS OPINION.