To engage the first four Verdins principles (reducing moral culpability, moderating deterrence, etc.), there must be a demonstrated causal connection between the mental impairment and the offending; the mere existence of intellectual disability, mental illness or substance abuse is insufficient. Tentative comments by a sentencing judge during a plea hearing indicating an inclination towards a particular view do not give rise to a denial of procedural fairness when the judge ultimately reaches a different conclusion after hearing full submissions.
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