No. 23-5653

Michael Duane Zack, III v. Florida

Lower Court: Florida
Docketed: 2023-09-26
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
IFP
Tags: atkins-exemption atkins-v-virginia capital-punishment eighth-amendment fetal-alcohol-syndrome fourteenth-amendment intellectual-developmental-disorder medical-consensus witherspoon-v-illinois
Latest Conference: N/A
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. In light of the medical community's recent consensus that Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome is not only functionally similar to Intellectual Developmental Disorder, but
uniquely identical in both etiology and symptomatology, does it violate the Eighth or
Fourteenth Amendment for a state court to foreclose all meaningful review of a
defendant's claim that he is entitled to exemption from execution under Hail v.
Florida's requirement that state courts deciding whether to apply the protections of
Atkins v. Virginia must be guided by the views of the medical community?

2. Because "a jury that must choose between life imprisonment and capital
punishment can do little more -- and must do nothing less -- than express the
conscience of the community on the ultimate question of life or death[,]" Witherspoon
v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510, 519 (1968), does the Eighth Amendment bar the execution
of a defendant who was not sentenced to death by a unanimous jury?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does the Eighth or Fourteenth Amendment bar the execution of a defendant with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome who was not sentenced to death by a unanimous jury?

Docket Entries

2023-10-02
Petition DENIED.
2023-10-02
Application (23A262) referred to the Court.
2023-10-02
Application (23A262) for stay of execution of sentence of death presented to Justice Thomas any by him referred to the Court is denied. The petition for a writ of certiorari is denied.
2023-09-30
Reply of applicant Michael Zack filed.
2023-09-30
Reply of petitioner Michael Zack filed.
2023-09-28
Brief of respondent Florida in opposition filed.
2023-09-28
Response to application from respondent Florida filed.
2023-09-26
Application (23A262) for a stay of execution of sentence of death, submitted to Justice Thomas.
2023-09-26

Attorneys

Michael Zack
Dawn Brandi MacreadyCapital Collateral Regional Counsel - North, Petitioner
State of Florida
Carla Suzanne BechardOffice of the Attorney General, State of Florida, Respondent