Opinion ID: 2497751
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Nixon v. State

Text: In Nixon, the appellant raised several arguments challenging this Court's decision in Cherry. The essence of the arguments in Nixon, which are similar to the arguments Franqui makes in this case, is that based on language in Atkins, a firm IQ cut-off score of 70 or below is not the proper standard for determining mental retardation. Nixon, 2 So.3d at 142. Nixon asserted, as does Franqui, that the Supreme Court in Atkins noted a consensus in the scientific community that a full scale IQ falling within a range of 70 to 75 meets the first prong of the test for mental retardation; therefore, Nixon contended, states must recognize the higher cut-off IQ score of 75. Nixon, 2 So.3d at 142. We disagreed, reasoning that Atkins recognized a difference of opinion among various sources as to who should be classified as mentally retarded, and consequently left to the states the task of developing appropriate ways to enforce the constitutional restriction on imposition of the death sentence on mentally retarded persons. Nixon, 2 So.3d at 142. Nixon further asserted that this Court's definition of mental retardation violates both the United States and Florida constitutions because Cherry's interpretation of section 921.137 is inconsistent with the constitutional bar on the execution of mentally retarded persons. We found Nixon's claim without merit based in part on an earlier finding by the Court in Jones v. State, 966 So.2d 319, 326 (Fla.2007), that Florida's definition of mental retardation is consistent with the APA's diagnostic criteria for mental retardation. Nixon, 2 So.3d at 143. Based on the broad authority given in Atkins to the states to enact their own laws to determine who is mentally retarded, without any requirement that the states adhere to one definition over another, we deny Franqui's claim that our interpretation of Atkins is infirm. Because the circuit court had competent, substantial evidence to find that under current Florida law Franqui is not mentally retarded, the order of the circuit court denying Franqui's mental retardation claim is affirmed. We turn next to Franqui's claim that his trial counsel was ineffective during both the guilt phase and the penalty phase of his trial.