Court to hear Texas death row inmate DNA case
Court Alerts
The justices agreed to hear Henry Skinner's appeal. On March 24, they granted him a stay about an hour before his scheduled execution to give them more time to decide whether to take up his case.
In an order issued Monday, the Supreme Court said it decided to rule on the issue presented by his case. Arguments are expected to be heard in the upcoming term that begins in October.
Skinner's lawyers maintain that his rights under the civil rights law were violated by authorities' refusal to grant DNA testing after his conviction.
In the United States, post-conviction DNA testing has exonerated more than 250 people, including 17 prisoners who served time on death row, according to a group called the Innocence Project.
Skinner was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of his girlfriend and her two adult sons on New Year's Eve in 1993 in the small town of Pampa, Texas. He has always maintained his innocence.
Skinner's attorneys are seeking DNA testing of key evidence from the crime scene, including a bloody towel, two knives and a man's windbreaker, and swabs from a rape kit.
Related listings
-
US high court won't hear Microsoft, Alcatel case
Court Alerts 05/25/2010The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Microsoft Corp's appeal in a case that could have reshaped the standards used in court fights to determine if patents have been infringed.Lower courts had found that the date-picker tool in Microsoft's Outlook ...
-
Veterans finding service record helps in court
Court Alerts 05/22/2010Courts are increasingly relying on military service records in deciding sentences for veterans accused of crimes.Since 2008, 31 so-called veterans courts have been established to exclusively handle the criminal cases of veterans.Veterans in those cou...
-
Woman to be sentenced in Elizabeth Smart case
Court Alerts 05/21/2010State and federal judges on Friday are expected to order prison sentences for the woman who has pleaded guilty to kidnapping in the 2002 abduction of Elizabeth Smart.Wanda Eileen Barzee is set for back-to-back sentencing hearings in U.S. District Cou...
Victorville CA DUI defense Attorneys
The outcome of a DUI defense will have a long-term effect on anyone’s life, making the decision to receive legal representation an easy one. The fact is, most people accused of a DUI are first offenders with no criminal background. Whether this is your first run in with the law or you have had previous convictions, you are in need of a DUI defense attorney.
The charges you are facing for a DUI range from fines, a 12-month suspension on your license and worst-case scenario, prison time. Your attorney will be able to analyze your situation to decide the best way to go about your case.
Our attorneys know the tricky ways to challenge all of the DUI tests and know how to claim improper collection of evidence. We will be able to negotiate on your behalf and free you from charges and help you keep your drivers license. The DUI process can last up to several months, we can make this process easier on you. .