TRUMBULL COUNTY Prosecutors file answer to claim of retardation by death row inmate

Lorraine seeks a court-appointed lawyer to defend him.
WARREN -- Convicted murderer Charles Lorraine is not as mentally challenged as he claims to be, Trumbull County prosecutors argue in a brief filed this week.
The court filing is intended to head off an attempt by Lorraine to get off death row based on last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that it is unconstitutional to execute people who have mental retardation.
Defendant's motion
Last month, Lorraine filed a motion in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court that he should not be executed because his IQ is less than 70, a benchmark used by several states.
Prosecutors say that the average of all IQ tests given to Lorraine is 80, and that he displays his intelligence in a videotaped confession.
"He shows no fear, he is arrogant at times and always appears to be in command with good language skills until he is convinced the police have a witness who snitched," the filing by assistant prosecutor LuWayne Annos and prosecutor Dennis Watkins says.
Six mental health experts testified at his trial that Lorraine is not mentally retarded.
Lawyer request
Lorraine also asked the court to appoint lawyers to help him pursue his motion, which has been assigned to Judge Andrew Logan.
There have been more than 20 appeals in his case.