No. 19-7862October Term 2019Decided Nov 1, 2021Updated Nov 1, 2021
Coonce v. United States
This case involves a federal death-row inmate who argues that he cannot be executed because he is intellectually disabled, even though the lower court held that his disability did not begin before age 18.
Case status
Decided · November 1, 2021
Read the opinion (PDF)- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Nov 1, 2021
- What it's about
This case involves a federal death-row inmate who argues that he cannot be executed because he is intellectually disabled, even though the lower court held that his disability did not begin before age 18. It also asks whether prosecutors may use testimonial hearsay at the penalty phase of a federal capital trial to prove facts supporting a death sentence.
Question presented
1. Whether the court of appeals correctly concluded that petitioner is not intellectually disabled under Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304 (2002), because his alleged deficits did not manifest before age 18. 2. Whether the Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause applies to the sentence-selection phase of a federal capital sentencing proceeding, which occurs after the jury has unanimously found beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is statutorily eligible for a death sentence.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit / Decision released Nov 1, 2021
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Timing
Decided November 1, 2021
The Court released its decision on November 1, 2021 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
Opinion added: Opinion
Nov 1, 2021 | Court records
Brief added: Petition
Feb 28, 2020 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology