Compounding Zane Floyd’s experience of childhood trauma and abuse in his household, he was also diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. FASD is a spectrum of developmental disorders caused by a mother’s drinking during pregnancy. Zane’s mother was a chronic alcoholic who drank through most of her pregnancy with him, in addition to smoking cigarettes, marijuana and consuming cocaine. The effects of FASD can vary for many circumstances, including when in the pregnancy the mother consumed alcohol, how much and for how long. In Mr. Floyd, this disorder was so pronounced it caused organic damage to his brain.
Mental challEnges
- Attention problems, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Conduct disorder aggression toward others and serious violations of rules, laws, and social norms
- Alcohol or drug dependence
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Difficulty in school
- Learning disabilities
- Speech and language delays
- Intellectual disability or low IQ
- Poor reasoning and judgment skills
Physical challEnges
- Low body weight
- Poor coordination
- Poor memory
- Vision or hearing problems
- Problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones
- Shorter-than-average height
- Small head size
- Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum)
FASD is a serious disorder that can have profound impacts on how an individual navigates the world around them. The FASD specialist who gave a psychological assessment to Zane Floyd believed it was serious enough for him that it should be considered equivalent to an intellectual disability. Mr. Floyd’s FASD and the impact it had on him was never presented to the jury who sentenced him to death. Join us in calling on the Board of Pardons to finally give him his fair day in court with some actions below.
