Georgia Governor Signs Landmark Law Protecting Intellectually Disabled from Death Penalty
On Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 123 into law, which lowers the legal threshold for proving intellectual disability in death penalty cases in Georgia. The law allows for a determination of disability to be made by a judge at pretrial hearings instead of leaving it solely to jurors, addressing concerns that jurors might be influenced by the trial’s emotional content. Advocates believe this change will better protect vulnerable individuals and align Georgia’s standards with those of 26 other states that still execute individuals.
On October 17, 2023, Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 123 in Atlanta, lowering the legal threshold for proving intellectual disability in death penalty cases, aligning Georgia with other states. This bipartisan measure aims to protect vulnerable individuals from wrongful executions, allowing judges to decide on disabilities pretrial, as advocates like Mazie Lynn Guertin celebrate this long-overdue reform.
Source: ATL Newsroom