Supreme Court Sides with Arizona on Death-Row Evidence Appeals (1)

The US Supreme Court ruled two death row inmates can’t raise evidence of ineffective counsel during a federal habeas appeal since they didn’t present it in state court.

The ruling announced Monday broke along ideological lines, with Justice Clarence Thomas writing for the 6-3 majority.

“To respect our system of dual sovereignty, the availability of habeas relief is narrowly circumscribed,” Thomas said, adding that “only rarely may a federal habeas court hear a claim or consider evidence that a prisoner did not previously present to the state courts.”

David Martinez Ramirez and Barry Jones were convicted of murder and sentenced ...