WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court blocked the execution of a Texas murderer Wednesday because of racially discriminatory testimony presented by his own defense team.
The 6-2 ruling was the second in the court's new term to overturn a death sentence, and it could be a harbinger of things to come. The justices heard another death penalty case from Texas in November that hinges on a prisoner's intellectual disability.
Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the ruling in favor of Duane Buck, who was sentenced to death following the testimony of a defense witness in 1996 who said he would be more dangerous in the future because he is black. Buck either will be re-sentenced to life in prison or will receive a new sentencing hearing. Read more here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/22/supreme-court-death-penalty-racial-discrimination-texas/94563854/
Burley
0 comments:
Post a Comment