U.S.: on July 17 the UN Special Rapporteur on Arbitrary Executions asked the U.S., Georgia, and Texas to forego the execution of two mentally disabled prisoners: Warren Hill in Georgia and Yokamon Laneal Hearn in Texas. Hearn was executed on July 19th. Texas used pentobarbital, better known as a drug used for the euthanasia of animals. Hill’s execution was delayed by Georgia’s procedural difficulties with pentobarbital. Hill has an IQ of 70. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled it cruel and unusual punishment to execute the mentally retarded (Atkins vs Virginia, 2002). 75 nations are currently party to the The Convention on the Abolition of the Death Penalty. Partial sources online: “Texas executes mentally disabled prisoner using one-drug lethal injection,” Kate Randall, July 19, 2012, wsws.org; “UN rights expert urges halt to US executions of mentally disabled individuals,” Jaclyn Belczyk, July 18, 2012, Jurist; “Death row: UN expert urges US authorities to stop execution of two persons with psychosocial disabilities,” Press release, July 17, 2012, United Nations Human Rights; “Warren Hill execution stayed at 11th hour by Georgia supreme court,” Ed Pilkington, July 23, 2012, theguardian.
