Death row inmate continues pursuit of new trial
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi attorney general’s office has until Jan. 10 to respond to a death row inmate’s ongoing effort to win a new trial for the killing of two university students in 1992.
On Dec. 3, Willie Jerome Manning asked U.S. Supreme Court to listen to his arguments for a new trial. The court gave Attorney General Jim Hood until Jan. 10 to respond to Manning’s request.
Manning has argued that defense attorney should have done a better job and that black residents were inappropriately excluded from his Oktibbeha County jury. Manning is African-American.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned Manning down in July. The court said Manning filed his post-conviction claim too late to be heard in state courts.
AP
12/21/12