The U.S. Supreme Court reversed an Alabama death-row inmate’s habeas corpus win on ineffective assistance, in a case that Justice Sonia Sotomayor said continues a troubling trend in rulings against those facing execution.
The summary reversal on Friday, over dissent from the court’s three Democratic appointees, is the high court’s latest rebuff of a federal court for not giving a state court ruling against a criminal defendant due deference.
The 6-3 split marks the end of a high court term that frequently saw that divide in capital cases, including in disputes over the Trump administration’s resumption of federal executions.
Matthew ...