Court appoints lawyer in Oklahoma death penalty case

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The Supreme Court on Friday morning appointed a former clerk to Chief Justice John Roberts to defend a ruling by an Oklahoma court leaving in place the conviction and death sentence of Richard Glossip – even after the state’s attorney general agreed that they should be set aside.

The justices agreed to hear Glossip’s case on Monday, after considering the case at 11 consecutive conferences since late September 2023. Glossip was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1997 … Read the rest

Texas man on death row presses claim of attorney abandonment

Texas man on death row presses claim of attorney abandonment

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The Petitions of the Week column highlights a selection of cert petitions recently filed in the Supreme Court. A list of all petitions we’re watching is available here.

Individuals held in state prison can challenge their convictions in federal court through a device known as a petition for a writ of habeas corpus. But under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, known as AEDPA, they generally only have one opportunity to do so. This week, … Read the rest

The justices’ statements regarding the death of retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

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The justices and retired justices of the Supreme Court have issued statements regarding the death of Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the court. O’Connor, who stepped down from the court in 2006, died on Friday in Phoenix, Arizona. She was 93 years old.

The post The justices’ statements regarding the death of retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor appeared first on SCOTUSblog.

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Court declines to halt execution of Alabama man whose jury voted against death penalty

Court declines to halt execution of Alabama man whose jury voted against death penalty

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In a brief order with no recorded dissents, the Supreme Court refused to block the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith, a 57-year-old inmate who is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 7 p.m. EST on Thursday in Alabama. Smith was convicted for the 1988 murder of Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett, whom he was hired to kill by her husband, Rev. Charles Sennett.

By a vote of 11 to 1, the jury in Smith’s 1996 capital trial recommended that he … Read the rest

One death confirmed, another under investigation in Pennsylvania hepatitis A outbreak; officials name restaurant

The Montgomery County Office of Public Health in Pennsylvania announced today the temporary closure of Gino’s Ristorante & Pizzeria in West Norriton in relation to a deadly hepatitis A virus outbreak.

County officials say the restaurant will be closed until further notice while the investigation continues.

Authorities believe the outbreak began in late November, and current data suggests that the outbreak “no longer presents a risk.” However, officials are continuing to look into the situation.

Per standard public health protocols, the county … Read the rest