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Dec. 10, 2003 GROUPS HONOR UNM LAW PROFESSOR FOR WORK TO BAN EXECUTION OF MENTALLY RETARDED University of New Mexico School of Law Professor James Ellis was honored recently with awards from the New Mexico Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC) of New Mexico and his alma mater, Occidental College. An expert in constitutional law, Ellis was noted by all three organizations for his work to ban executions of the mentally retarded. In February 2002, Ellis argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Atkins v. Virginia. The court agreed that capital punishment of those with mental retardation was cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. Last month, Ellis was honored with the ARC of New Mexico President's Award. Annually, the organization rewards those in the community "who go the extra mile in serving the needs of people with developmental disabilities." The New Mexico Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers honored Ellis with its "Champion of Life" award this fall. "Prof. Ellis won a seminal victory defying overwhelming odds and changing the face of death at a national level," said member attorney Richard Winterbottom. Occidental College honored Ellis, class of 1968, with the Alumni Seal Award, in June. The award pays tribute to alumni who, through concern for their profession, community and college, have distinguished themselves and brought honor to Occidental. Former president of the American Association on Mental Retardation, Ellis has filed briefs in 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases. Ellis is profiled in the 2004 issue of Quantum Magazine, UNM's publication of research, scholarship and creative works, published online today at http://www.unm.edu/~quantum. ###

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