Borderline IQ Score Ruled Insufficient to Save Death-Row Inmate

An inmate on Alabama’s death row failed to show that he is intellectually disabled, and therefore isn’t entitled to federal relief from his death sentence, the Eleventh Circuit said Wednesday.

Thomas Ferguson was convicted on four capital murder charges stemming from the killing of a father and son during a robbery.

After the Alabama courts affirmed his conviction and death sentence, Ferguson filed for a writ of habeas corpus in federal court, saying it would be unconstitutional to put him to death because he’s intellectually disabled.

To prevail on his claim, Ferguson had to prove was that he had a ...