Supreme Court Takes on Intellectual Disability and Death Penalty Case from Alabama

Wed Dec 10 2025 09:51:41 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Supreme Court will hear a crucial case on whether convicted murderers can prove intellectual disability to avoid execution. The Alabama case involves Joseph Clifton Smith, whose IQ scores hover just above the widely accepted threshold for intellectual disability.

The case of Joseph Clifton Smith, a death row inmate in Alabama, raises significant questions about the standards used to assess intellectual disability in capital punishment cases. His lawyers argue for a comprehensive evaluation of evidence, while the state contends he has not proven he meets the intellectual disability threshold. The case could reshape how courts interpret the criteria for avoiding the death penalty based on mental capability.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is set to hear crucial arguments concerning the evaluation of intellectual disability in death penalty cases, focusing on a situation that could alter the assessment criteria for many similar cases across the nation.

At the heart of the matter is Alabama's bid to execute Joseph Clifton Smith, a man whose conviction for murder has placed him on death row for nearly three decades. Smith's intellectual capability has been debated due to various IQ scores that range just above 70, a figure often recognized as the threshold for defining intellectual disability.

Smith was convicted in 1997 for the brutal killing of Durk Van Dam, who was found murdered in Mobile County. The court ruling from lower federal courts has classified Smith as intellectually disabled, thus barring execution under a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court in 2002.

Smith's defense emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach when determining his intellectual status, arguing that the scores alone do not reflect his overall mental capabilities. The defense argues that issues stemming from his past—such as educational setbacks and functional limitations—should also be taken into consideration.

The upcoming court discussions will revisit previous rulings where the justices directed states to assess all relevant evidence in borderline intellectual disability cases due to the unpredictable nature of IQ assessments.

Alabama has contested that Smith's various IQ scores should not automatically qualify him for protection from the death penalty, suggesting that they may lack sufficient evidence to confirm his disability status. The case not only questions the validity of IQ testing as a measure for mental disability but could also redefine the landscape of legal criteria for those accused in similar dire situations.

As arguments unfold, the decisions made could have lasting impacts on the judicial system's handling of intellectual disability claims in capital offenses across the United States.