Opinion ID: 1844462
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Is Ricky Chase entitled to Eighth Amendment Protection under Atkins?

Text: The Issue Before Us. ¶ 45. The only issue in Chase's Motion to Amend Successive Application is his claim that, because he is retarded, he cannot constitutionally be executed. However, we reiterate that the issue before this Court in this case is somewhat different. It is not our function to determine whether Chase is mentally retarded. We are required to determine whether to allow Chase to amend his Successive Application, and proceed in the trial court with his Motion to Vacate Death Sentence, that is to say, his claim that he is mentally retarded. ¶ 46. In arriving at our decision to grant the Successive Application and remand for a hearing, we take into account the fact that Chase had no reason to know at the time of his trial that a determination by the trial court that he was mentally retarded (even slightly) would spare him the death penalty. Additionally, Chase falls into the limited class of prisoners who filed their motions for an Atkins hearing prior to receiving procedural guidance from this Court. ¶ 47. Thus, because he has arguably demonstrated that his IQ falls within the range of possible mental retardation, and because he has presented an affidavit which asserts that he suffers from mild retardation, we cannot constitutionally deny Chase the opportunity to present the issue to the trial court. It is at the trial court that all of the arguments presented by the State will be weighed along with other evidence presented, and a final determination will then be made as to whether Chase is mentally retarded and, thus, ineligible for execution.