inmate

Supreme Court sides with Black death row inmate who alleged racial discrimination in jury selection

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Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of a Black death row inmate from Mississippi who argued racial discrimination during the jury-selection process before his trial. The high court divided 5-4 in siding with Terry Pitchford, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joining the three liberal justices in the majority. Kavanaugh … Read more

Supreme Court sides with Mississippi death row inmate who alleged racial bias in jury selection

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WASHINGTON — In a case that raised questions about racial bias in the criminal justice system, the Supreme Court on Thursday threw out the murder conviction of a Black death row inmate in Mississippi who objected when a prosecutor sought to exclude potential jury members who were Black. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get … Read more

Supreme Court rules for Black death row inmate from Mississippi over racial bias in makeup of jury

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WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled for a Black death row inmate from Mississippi who claims there was racial bias in the makeup of the jury that convicted him. By a 5-4 vote, the justices sided with Terry Pitchford, who was sentenced to death for his role in the killing … Read more

Supreme Court dismisses bid to execute inmate with borderline intellectual disability

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WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed Alabama’s bid to be allowed to execute a convicted murder who was found by lower courts to be intellectually disabled. The court’s action leaves in place lower court rulings in favor of Joseph Clifton Smith, 55, who has been on death row roughly half his life … Read more

Attorneys for Tennessee inmate worry state could use expired drugs for lethal injection

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Attorneys for a Tennessee death row inmate say they are concerned the state may be planning to use expired lethal injection drugs at his execution on Thursday, a growing concern across the country as states work to keep most information about their drugs secret. Tony Carruthers’ attorneys twice asked the Tennessee Department … Read more

Former death row inmate Richard Glossip granted bond, after nearly being executed 3 times in Oklahoma

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An Oklahoma inmate who was given a new trial after nearly three decades on death row has now been granted bond, laying the groundwork for his first release from prison since 1997. Richard Glossip, 63, was arrested that year in the killing of his former boss, Barry Van Treese. After numerous legal challenges, execution dates and … Read more

Oklahoma executes inmate convicted of killing ex-girlfriend and her baby

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Oklahoma executed a death row inmate by lethal injection on Thursday morning. The inmate had been convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend and her baby almost two decades ago.  Raymond Johnson, 52, was pronounced dead at 10:12 a.m. Thursday following a three-drug injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, prison officials said. He was sentenced … Read more

Supreme Court seems likely to rule for a Black death row inmate in Mississippi

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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday seemed likely to rule for a Black death row inmate from Mississippi who claims there was racial bias in the makeup of the jury that convicted him. The justices took up an appeal from Terry Pitchford in a case with similarities to that of another Black man on … Read more