Florida Statute 921.137 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research

The 2024 Florida Statutes

Title XLVII
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE AND CORRECTIONS

Chapter 921
SENTENCE

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F.S. 921.137

921.137 Imposition of the death sentence upon an intellectually disabled defendant prohibited.—

(1) As used in this section, the term “intellectually disabled” or “intellectual disability” means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the period from conception to age 18. The term “significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning,” for the purpose of this section, means performance that is two or more standard deviations from the mean score on a standardized intelligence test specified in the rules of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The term “adaptive behavior,” for the purpose of this definition, means the effectiveness or degree with which an individual meets the standards of personal independence and social responsibility expected of his or her age, cultural group, and community. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities shall adopt rules to specify the standardized intelligence tests as provided in this subsection.

(2) A sentence of death may not be imposed upon a defendant convicted of a capital felony if it is determined in accordance with this section that the defendant is intellectually disabled.

(3) A defendant charged with a capital felony who intends to raise intellectual disability as a bar to the death sentence must give notice of such intention in accordance with the rules of court governing notices of intent to offer expert testimony regarding mental health mitigation during the penalty phase of a capital trial.

(4) After a defendant who has given notice of his or her intention to raise intellectual disability as a bar to the death sentence is convicted of a capital felony and an advisory jury has returned a recommended sentence of death, the defendant may file a motion to determine whether the defendant is intellectually disabled. Upon receipt of the motion, the court shall appoint two experts in the field of intellectual disabilities who shall evaluate the defendant and report their findings to the court and all interested parties prior to the final sentencing hearing. Notwithstanding s. 921.141, s. 921.142, or s. 921.1425, the final sentencing hearing shall be held without a jury. At the final sentencing hearing, the court shall consider the findings of the court-appointed experts and consider the findings of any other expert which is offered by the state or the defense on the issue of whether the defendant has an intellectual disability. If the court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that the defendant has an intellectual disability as defined in subsection (1), the court may not impose a sentence of death and shall enter a written order that sets forth with specificity the findings in support of the determination.

(5) If a defendant waives his or her right to a recommended sentence by an advisory jury following a plea of guilt or nolo contendere to a capital felony and adjudication of guilt by the court, or following a jury finding of guilt of a capital felony, upon acceptance of the waiver by the court, a defendant who has given notice as required in subsection (3) may file a motion for a determination of intellectual disability. Upon granting the motion, the court shall proceed as provided in subsection (4).

(6) If, following a recommendation by an advisory jury that the defendant be sentenced to life imprisonment, the state intends to request the court to order that the defendant be sentenced to death, the state must inform the defendant of such request if the defendant has notified the court of his or her intent to raise intellectual disability as a bar to the death sentence. After receipt of the notice from the state, the defendant may file a motion requesting a determination by the court of whether the defendant is intellectually disabled. Upon granting the motion, the court shall proceed as provided in subsection (4).

(7) Pursuant to s. 924.07, the state may appeal a determination of intellectual disability made under subsection (4).

(8) This section does not apply to a defendant who was sentenced to death before June 12, 2001.

(9) For purposes of the application of the criminal laws and procedural rules of this state to any matters relating to the imposition and execution of the death penalty, the terms “intellectual disability” or “intellectually disabled” are interchangeable with and have the same meaning as the terms “mental retardation” or “retardation” and “mentally retarded” as those terms were defined before July 1, 2013.

History.—s. 1, ch. 2001-202; s. 23, ch. 2006-195; s. 38, ch. 2013-162; s. 3, ch. 2023-25.

F.S. 921.137 on Google Scholar

F.S. 921.137 on Casetext

Amendments to 921.137

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 921.137

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

Current data shows no reason an arrest or criminal charge should have occurred directly under Florida Statute 921.137.

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 921.137

Total Results: 20

Michael Duane Zack, III v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2023-09-21

Snippet: decided, the Florida Legislature created section 921.137, Florida Statutes (2001), which prohibited the

Frank A. Walls v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2023-02-16

Snippet: he was intellectually disabled under section 921.137, Florida Statutes (2021). Walls now appeals.

Michael A. Gordon v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2022-09-01

Snippet: (3) that shall have manifested before age 18. § 921.137(1) Fla. Stat. (2013).

William Lee Thompson v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2022-03-31

Snippet: Cherry, 959 So. 2d at 711 (interpreting section 921.137(1), Florida Statutes (2002), as requiring a defendant

O.H. v. AGENCY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2021-11-24

Snippet: to age [eighteen].” 572 U.S. at 711 (quoting § 921.137(1), Fla. Stat. (2013)). Like the instant provisions

Joe Elton Nixon v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2021-08-26

Snippet: Weekly S177, S178 (Fla. June 17, 2021); see also § 921.137, Fla. Stat. (2019); Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.203. “[S]ignificantly

Jerry Leon Haliburton v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2021-06-17

Snippet: Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.203 and section 921.137, Florida Statutes (2019), and his amended successive

Harry Franklin Phillips v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2020-05-21

Snippet: during the period from conception to age 18.” § 921.137(1), Fla. Stat. (2017). “Significantly subaverage

Leonardo Franqui v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2020-05-07

Snippet: manifestation of the condition before age eighteen. § 921.137(1), Fla. Stat. (2017). Subaverage intellectual

Jermaine Foster v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2018-12-28

Citation: 260 So. 3d 174

Snippet: that was already in effect at that time, see § 921.137, Fla. Stat. (2001), and the standard had been announced

Tavares J. Wright v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2018-11-01

Snippet: 321 (2002); see also § 921.137(2), Fla. Stat. (2017). In Florida, section 921.137, Florida Statutes, defines

Tavares J. Wright v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2018-09-27

Citation: 256 So. 3d 766

Snippet: see also § 921.137(2), Fla. Stat. (2017). In Florida, section 921.137, Florida Statutes, defines

Kenneth Darcell Quince v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2018-04-12

Citation: 241 So. 3d 58

Snippet: Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.203 and section 921.137, Florida Statutes (2015). We have jurisdiction

Kenneth Darcell Quince v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2018-01-18

Snippet: Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.203 and section 921.137, Florida Statutes (2015). We have jurisdiction

State of Florida v. Raymond Morrison, Jr.

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2017-11-16

Citation: 236 So. 3d 204

Snippet: held that Florida's interpretation of section 921.137(1), Florida Statutes (2013), as establishing a

Victor Tony Jones v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2017-09-28

Snippet: during the period from conception to age 18.” § 921.137(1), Fla. Stat. (2015). “Significantly subaverage

Dennis T. Glover v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2017-09-14

Citation: 226 So. 3d 795, 42 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 810, 2017 Fla. LEXIS 1854

Snippet: (Fla. 2016); see also: Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.203; § 921.137(1), Fla. Stat. (2013). At the time of Glover’s

Ronnie Keith Williams v. State of Florida

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2017-06-29

Citation: 226 So. 3d 758, 42 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 706, 2017 WL 2806711, 2017 Fla. LEXIS 1432

Snippet: S. -, 136 S.Ct. 616, 193 L.Ed.2d 504 (2016); § 921.137(1), Fla. Stat. The defendant has the burden to

& SC16-1090 Michael Duane Zack, III v. State of Florida and Michael Duane Zack, III v. Julie L. Jones, etc.

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2017-06-15

Citation: 228 So. 3d 41

Snippet: behavior, and (3) manifesting prior to age 18. § 921.137, Fla. Stat. (2016); Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.203. Hall

Sonny Boy Oats, Jr. v. Julie L. Jones, etc.

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2017-05-25

Citation: 220 So. 3d 1127, 42 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 616, 2017 WL 2291288, 2017 Fla. LEXIS 1154

Snippet: before Atkins, the Legislature enacted section 921.137, Florida Statutes, barring the execution of intellectually