Supreme Court Rejects Appeal In 11 Death Row Cases

Eleven death row appeals were rejected by the Supreme Court on Monday. The justices’ had been expected to decline the cases that sat before them today.

The cases were from Georgia, Ohio, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Arizona and Texas. The Supreme Court’s earlier decision on lethal injection is why these cases were on appeal. When the Court ruled in favor of the method the cases before them were not even reviewed because of the reason of their appeal.

Some of the cases that were rejected today were for the following men:

Carlton Turner Jr.,Texas

In 1998 Turner, Jr. shot and killed his adoptive parents. His father was shot several times in the head. He used their money to buy new clothes and jewelry, remaining in their home while their bodies rotted away in the garage.

Earl W. Berry, Mississippi

Killed a 56-year-old woman 20 years ago. Mary Bounds had left her church on Nov. 29, 1987 when Berry abducted her. He had intentions of rape but instead beat her to death. She died of head injuries resulting from the beating in the woods where he left her. Has had several appeals, all denied throughout his time on death row.

Thomas Arthur, Alabama

Convicted of the murder of Troy Wicker. There are those who say that Arthur did not commit the murder.

Kenneth Biros, Ohio

He was convicted for the February 7, 1991 Aggravated Murder of Tammy Engstrom. Other charges in the case that resulted in his death sentence are Attempted Rape, Abuse of a Corpse, Aggravated Robbery & Felonious Sexual Penetration.

Richard Cooey, Ohio

He was convicted of the rape and murder in 1986 of Dawn McCreery and Wendy Offredo, aged 20 and 21.

James Frazier, Ohio

He was convicted for the aggravated murder of Mary Lou Stevenson during a March 2004 robbery of her apartment. His conviction sparked some questions due to his very low IQ level.

Juan Velazquez, Arizona

Was convicted for the murder of 12-year-old Liana Venegas. He had moved into the home of Liana, her sister Isabella,3, and their mother Virginia Venegas in August 2001. On Sept. 26, 2002 Liana was reported missing. Her father arrived at the home and noticed that Isabella had bruises on her head. After he took her to the hospital it was found that the young child had a skull fracture, swollen bruises on her face and bruising on her chest and back. Velazquez was arrested the next day and admitted to abusing both girls and killing Liana. He dumped Liana’s body in a canal weighing her down with a cement rock. Tests revealed that she had died as a result to a blow to the head.

There will be new execution dates set for Thomas Arthur of Alabama, Earl Wesley Berry of Mississippi and Carlton Turner of Texas. The other death row convicts did not have a set date pending when their cases went to the Supreme Court.