Opinion ID: 1036479
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Dr. Donald Blanton

Text: On September 20, 1999, after receiving Dr. Ronan’s report and certain school records, Lee’s counsel moved for the appointment of and $5,000 in funds to hire a clinical neuropsychologist who would interview, test, evaluate, and present trial testimony regarding Lee. Defense counsel asserted that an expert was necessary to assist counsel in determining and presenting mitigation evidence, 11 Case: 12-14421 Date Filed: 08/01/2013 Page: 12 of 128 including but not limited to “the fact that this Defendant has, through his life, functioned with very limited intellectual ability. . . . [and] other factors relating to his traumatic upbringing and mental impairments . . . which constitute mitigating circumstances.” Lee’s counsel specifically recognized that “[m]ental impairment is the most compelling mitigating factor[].” After the state trial court granted this motion, Lee’s counsel hired Dr. Donald Blanton to evaluate Lee. Dr. Donald Blanton has a Ph.D. in counseling and educational psychology and is an experienced psychometrist with expertise in administering psychological and educational tests. Dr. Blanton consulted with Lee on October 29, 1999, and conducted his evaluation of Lee on March 31, 2000. Dr. Blanton performed a number of psychological tests on Lee. Dr. Blanton first gave Lee the full Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Revised (“WAIS-R”). Lee scored an IQ of 67, which indicated to Dr. Blanton that Lee was “in the middle range of mental retardation.” Dr. Blanton administered the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test, on which Lee did “fine.” Dr. Blanton also administered the Wide Range Achievement Test-Rephrased III, a reading, spelling, and arithmetic test, on which Lee scored at the sixth grade level in reading, the second grade level in spelling, and the second grade level in arithmetic. Dr. Blanton concluded that Lee “was not psychotic and that he was having 12 Case: 12-14421 Date Filed: 08/01/2013 Page: 13 of 128 some depression secondary to his situation.” In his report, Dr. Blanton stated that “[t]hroughout testing [Lee] appeared to put good effort into his work and anxiety did not appear to be a significant factor.” As for Lee’s substance abuse history, Dr. Blanton said that Lee admitted to him that he used marijuana on a daily basis and cocaine on a weekly basis. Dr. Blanton’s report noted that Lee’s mother and father both allegedly suffered from “nervous trouble” and had been treated for “nerves.” Additionally, Lee’s “[f]amily history . . . reveal[ed] a drug addicted uncle and another alcoholic uncle.”