A North American lawyer claims that Víctor Saldaño has a degree of intellectual disability that makes his execution unconstitutional, with the U.S. Supreme Court having the final decision.
Víctor Saldaño, originally from Córdoba, Argentina, has spent 30 years on death row in Texas, where he currently awaits a decision on his fate in the maximum-security Allan B. Polunsky Unit. If he is to be executed, he would be transferred about 100 kilometers away to the Huntsville unit. This extended wait has left him in a state of uncertainty regarding his future, as he prepares for the potential of a lethal injection that might take place soon.
His legal representative in the United States advocates that Saldaño possesses significant mental health issues, which should exempt him from capital punishment under constitutional grounds. The attorney is expected to submit a request for a thorough review of Saldaño's case next month, aiming to highlight his low mental capabilities at the time of the crime committed in November 1995, when he was just 23 years old. This argument hinges on the interpretation of the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishments.
As the U.S. Supreme Court holds the ultimate authority in such matters, the implications of their decision could reverberate beyond Saldaño's individual case, potentially affecting how the legal system deals with individuals who have intellectual disabilities in the context of capital punishment. The outcome will not only determine Saldaño's fate but may also set a precedent for similar cases in the future, raising ethical concerns about mental health considerations in the enforcement of the death penalty.
