Opinion ID: 1697053
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Cruel and Unusual Punishment Under Atkins and Roper

Text: Lastly, Evans contends that his death sentence is unconstitutional under Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304, 122 S.Ct. 2242, 153 L.Ed.2d 335 (2002), and Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551, 125 S.Ct. 1183, 161 L.Ed.2d 1 (2005). However, Evans was never diagnosed as mentally retarded and, in fact, the record reflects that he has previously received verbal and performance IQ scores of 91 and 110, respectively. Thus, Evans is not entitled to relief under Atkins. See Hill v. State, 921 So.2d 579, 584 (Fla.2006). Further, this Court has consistently held that Roper only prohibits the execution of defendants whose chronological age is below eighteen at the time of the capital crime. Id. Because Evans was nineteen at the time of the crime, his death sentence cannot be unconstitutional under Roper. Accordingly, this claim is without merit.