Texas man with low IQ asks court to spare his life
Court Alerts
A condemned Texas inmate is hoping the U.S. Supreme Court keeps him from the death chamber for the fatal slashing of an 11-year-old girl.
Bobby Wayne Woods is set for lethal injection Thursday evening in Huntsville for the April 1997 abduction, rape and slaying of Sarah Patterson, his ex-girlfriend's daughter.
But his attorneys contend his life should be spared because of a Supreme Court ban on executing mentally impaired people. Attorney Maurie Levin says his IQ hovers around 70 "the magical cutoff point for determining whether someone is mentally retarded."
State and federal courts repeatedly rejected Woods' mental impairment claims, though Texas' highest criminal court last year halted his execution hours before it was to occur.
Related listings
-
W.Va. court asked to reconsider Massey ruling
Court Alerts 12/03/2009West Virginia's Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled against him, but the head of a bankrupt coal company is asking it to reconsider its recent decision in favor of Massey Energy Co.For the third time, the court last month overturned the $50 million ve...
-
Arizona high court turns away budget challenge
Court Alerts 12/02/2009The Arizona Supreme Court has turned away a challenge to sweeps of nearly $14 million from a special water projects fund to help balance the state budget.The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to accept a special-action lawsuit filed directly with the...
-
Mo. court overturns death penalty for 2002 slaying
Court Alerts 12/02/2009The Missouri Supreme Court overturned a man's death sentence Tuesday because his attorney failed to question the character of a murder victim who had child pornography on his computer.The high court acknowledged in its unanimous ruling that character...
Is Now the Time to Really Call a Special Education Lawyer?
IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child.
Forte Law Group is one of only a very few law firms within the state of Connecticut that is dedicated to exclusively representing families and children with special needs.
Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer?” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.