Opinion ID: 3187215
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Testimony of Dr. Fiester

Text: Dr. Fiester testified that, since her 1998 affidavit, she had reviewed additional medical records, test results, and affidavits, and had personally interviewed a number of Ledford’s family members and teachers. Relying on this additional information and Dr. Zimmerman’s tests, Dr. Fiester concluded that Ledford was mentally retarded. Dr. Fiester concluded that Dr. Zimmerman’s tests indicated that Ledford suffers from significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning. Dr. Fiester opined that Ledford suffers from limitations in three of the 40 Case: 14-15650 Date Filed: 03/21/2016 Page: 41 of 103 ten domains of adaptive functioning: work, functional academics, and selfdirection.12 According to Dr. Fiester, Ledford’s work history reflected that he had difficulty keeping a job for a long period of time. And when working, Ledford only performed jobs that required “absolutely minimal skills.” Dr. Fiester understood that Ledford required repeated instruction on how to carry out simple tasks and, even then, he made mistakes. These problems indicated to Dr. Fiester that Ledford suffered from an adaptive deficit in the work domain. From school records, Dr. Fiester observed that Ledford failed the first grade, avoided a repeat failure but for a “social promotion,” failed the third grade, again avoided a repeat failure due to a “social promotion,” and twice failed ninth grade before dropping out. Dr. Fiester noted that Ledford struggled with math and reading and had no motivation to complete assignments. She noted that Ledford was not placed in a special education program, but said those classes were reserved for students with severe physical and mental disabilities. Still, Dr. Fiester concluded that Ledford’s school performance indicated adaptive deficits in functional academics. Dr. Fiester understood that Ledford never had a long-term job, never advanced within a job, had no long-term goals, never saved money, and simply 12 For a diagnosis of mental retardation, the DSM-IV requires limitations in at least two of the ten domains of adaptive functioning. 41 Case: 14-15650 Date Filed: 03/21/2016 Page: 42 of 103 lived on a day-to-day basis. All of this indicated to Dr. Fiester that Ledford had a significant adaptive deficit in self-direction. Dr. Fiester testified that Ledford suffers from certain adaptive deficits that did not necessarily qualify as significant. For example, Dr. Fiester believed that (1) Ledford has problems communicating, especially in writing; (2) as a child, he could not perform complex leisure activities, such as playing games and dancing; and (3) as a child, he had poor social skills and would easily be taken advantage of.