Supreme Court Demands Clarification on Death Row Intellectual Disability Case

The Supreme Court has sent an Alabama death penalty case back to the lower court for further review of the intellectual disability claim.

The case involves Joseph Clifton Smith, convicted of a 1997 murder, who claims intellectual disability based on his IQ scores.
The Supreme Court's 2002 ruling prohibits executing intellectually disabled individuals under the Eighth Amendment.
Smith's IQ scores ranged from the low to mid-70s, with one test suggesting a possible score below 70 due to error margins.
The Eleventh Circuit Court previously upheld a decision to vacate Smith's death sentence, citing significant adaptive deficits.
Justices Thomas and Gorsuch expressed a desire to hear the case now, while the Supreme Court seeks clarity on the lower court's reasoning.