1.   At the time, only Maryland and Georgia banned such executions.

2.   At the time, only Maryland and Georgia had banned such executions.

3.   A North Carolina case that raised the same issue was dismissed for mootness because the state recently banned such executions.

4.   But Governor Bush is out of step with the mainstream on this issue, as many states are rushing to ban the execution of the mentally retarded.

5.   But Ribnik said he would if the Supreme Court banned the execution of the mentally retarded.

6.   But the case became moot last fall, before it could be argued, when North Carolina banned the execution of retarded people.

7.   Citing a growing national consensus and evolving standards of decency, a divided Supreme Court Thursday banned the execution of mentally retarded murderers.

8.   Fifteen states ban the execution of mentally retarded people.

9.   Fourteen other states ban such executions.

10.   Fourteen states have banned such executions.