A sentencing judge is entitled to reject a forensic psychologist's opinion that intellectual impairment affected an offender at the time of offending where the circumstances of the offending demonstrate deliberateness and rational decision-making inconsistent with that opinion. However, where intellectual impairment renders an offender unsuitable as a vehicle for general deterrence, the weight given to that sentencing purpose must be appropriately modified, and failure to give adequate weight to this and other mitigating factors may render a sentence manifestly excessive.
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