Florida Supreme Court Upholds Death Penalty for Michael Duane Zack III

The Florida Supreme Court has reaffirmed the death sentence for Michael Duane Zack III, convicted for the 1996 murders of two women in Escambia and Okaloosa counties. The court's decision came after reviewing Zack's claims of intellectual disability, which he argued should exempt him from capital punishment under state law.

Justice John Couriel, writing for the majority, concluded that Zack's IQ scores, though low, did not meet the legal threshold to classify him as intellectually disabled. The court found that Zack's scores ranged from 79 to 82, above the cutoff of 70 typically used to define intellectual disability. Furthermore, the justices noted that Zack's adaptive behavior did not show significant limitations, another requirement for such a classification.

Zack's defense had presented evidence of his challenging early life, including abuse and neglect, in an effort to mitigate his sentence. However, the court ruled that these factors did not sufficiently demonstrate intellectual disability. Zack's criminal history, which included a prior conviction for armed robbery, was also taken into account by the court in its decision.

The ruling has reignited debates over the application of the death penalty, particularly in cases where defendants claim intellectual impairments. Critics argue that the threshold for intellectual disability is too high and does not adequately account for the complexities of human cognition and behavior.

This case adds to the ongoing national conversation about the morality and effectiveness of the death penalty, as well as how states define and apply exemptions for intellectually disabled individuals.

• Death Penalty
• Florida Supreme Court
• Michael Duane Zack III

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- apnews