Braimbridge1

Isis Braimbridge
Mr. Williams/Ms. Smith
American Literature
24 March 2015
Hall v. Florida
Freddie Lee Hall was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death for the 1978 murder of
Karol Hurst. She was 21 and seven months pregnant when Freddie Hall and Mack Ruffin forced
her into her car in a supermarket parking lot. Hall and Ruffin drove to a convenience store they
planned to rob. In the parking lot of the store, they killed Lonnie Coburn a sheriffs deputy who
attempted to stop them. Karol Hurst was later found in a wooded area where she had been beaten
sexually assaulted and shot. Hall received the death penalty for both murders Mack Ruffin was
arrested and convicted for Hursts murder. Coburn murder was later dropped on account of lack
evidence. Hall says that he cannot be executed because of his mental disability. Atkins case a
trial judge found that there was substantial evidence that Mr. Hall has been mentally retarded
his entire life. Atkins said a finding of metal disability required proof of three things low metal
functioning meaning a low I.Q. score a lack of fundamental social and practical skills and the
presence of both conditions before age 18. The court said I.Q. scores under approximately 70
typically indicate disability. In 2012 the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Hall was eligible
to be executed because of his I.Q. score.
There are many mentally disabled people who never commit any crimes. I think of Karol
Hurts pregnant, innocent, and her unborn child. Who were brutally murdered I do feel sorry for
Hall because mental ability. But I think he does not deserves the death penalty. He should just
spend life in prison so he cannot kill of hurt anyone else.

Braimbridge2

Works Cited
Hall v. Florida
Liptak Adam. Court Extends Curbs on the Death Penalty in a Florida Ruling. Nytimes.com. .
27 May. 2014. 27. March.2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/us/court-rules-against-florida-iq-rule-in-deathcases.html

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/05/hall_v_florid
a_the_supreme_court_rules_against_florida_s_rigid_iq_standard.html