Opinion ID: 1107688
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Branch has Presented Sufficient Evidence of Mental Retardation.

Text: ¶ 35. The majority's assertion that Branch has not complied with the necessary procedures nor provided the necessary documentation to rightfully comply with our holding in Chase  does not comport with the record. The majority conveniently fails to mention two critical facts: (1) that Dr. Gant's affidavit states that Dr. Lott's previous assessment cannot be relied upon as a determination of mental retardation and (2) that Branch's most recent testing shows that he falls within the definition of mental retardation as defined by Atkins. ¶ 36. This Court previously relied on a report by Dr. Criss Lott which merely determined that Branch was competent to stand trial. Dr. Gant states in his affidavit that because the examination was aimed at determining competency, the report cannot be relied upon for determining mental retardation. Specifically, Dr. Gant finds the report insufficient to determine mental retardation because (1) Branch was given an abbreviated Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale which can only give an estimated IQ; (2) there are a number of abnormalities in the test scores; and (3) the report did not assess the differences in the 1985 and 2002 test scores. Dr. Gant went on to say that, in his expert opinion, Branch was mentally retarded and had an IQ of 75 or below. ¶ 37. The majority also completely fails to mention that attached to Branch's petition is a report concluding that Branch meets all criteria for a diagnosis of mental retardation. This report is a result of Dr. Marc Zimmerman's October 7, 2005, examination of Branch. According to his report, Dr. Zimmerman used the following assessment techniques to determine Branch was mentally retarded: clinical interview, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III, Short Category Test, Screening Test for the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery, and Wide Range Achievement Test-III. ¶ 38. Branch has most certainly met the requirements of Chase as he has presented an expert who has expresse[d] an opinion, to a reasonable degree of certainty that: (1) Branch is mentally retarded as defined by the American Association on Mental Retardation and (2) he has completed multiple tests and is not malingering. See Chase v. State, 873 So.2d 1013, 1029 (Miss. 2004) (setting out these two requirements). By turning a blind eye to this evidence, this Court will be sanctioning the death of a potentially mentally retarded person. The United States Supreme Court made absolutely clear in Atkins that this is unconstitutional, and we must allow Branch the opportunity to pursue his Atkins claim in the trial court.