Missouri death sentence overturned

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Missouri death sentence overturned

Published Monday, May 21, 2007
WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a death penalty case today concerning whether a prosecutors’ closing argument unfairly inflamed jurors and violated the defendant’s constitutional rights.

The effect of the court’s action in the case of William Weaver, a Missouri man convicted of murder in 1987, is to set aside his death sentence.

The court said in an unsigned opinion that the state’s appeal of lower federal court rulings that threw out the death sentence should not have been accepted because of procedural quirks.

Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented, saying they would have reinstated Weaver’s death sentence. Missouri state courts had upheld the sentence.

The prosecutor compared jurors to soldiers and said imposing the death penalty was like having the courage to kill in wartime.



Read more: http://www.columbiatribune.com/2007/May/20070521News027.asp

[Charlie Brown]

1. it always astounds me how these three "pro-life" Catholics

are among the most eager to endorse the death penalty.