June 22 PENNSYLVANIA: Death penalty upheld for man who killed 3 in racial rampage In Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court let stand the death penalty for a black man who killed 3 white men in a racially motivated spree, but said he may pursue further appeals based on his claim of mental retardation. The trial of Ronald Taylor, 44, for the March 2000 rampage in the Pittsburgh suburb of Wilkinsburg occurred before a landmark U.S. Supreme Court in 2002 that barred execution of the mentally retarded. In an opinion made public Wednesday, Justice Ronald D. Castille wrote that the trial record lacked enough detail for the state's highest court to evaluate Taylor's mental status. The decision gave Taylor the right to pursue the issue through post-conviction appeals. Taylor became enraged when two white maintenance workers at his apartment building were replacing his door. He set fire to his couch then left with a .22-caliber pistol and began a shooting spree by killing 1 of the workers, then killed or wounded 4 other white men at two fast-food restaurants. Authorities said they recovered writings from Taylor's apartment that expressed hatred for whites, Jews, Asians, Italians, police and journalists. He was found competent to stand trial, but the proceedings occurred before the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed execution of the mentally retarded. That decision said states should determine how to evaluate retardation claims. Taylor's defense attorney, John L. Elash, was in court and not available for comment Wednesday morning, his office said. A message left for prosecutors also was not immediately returned. (source: Associated Press) MISSOURI: Supreme Court Upholds Killer's Death Sentence The State Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence given to a man convicted of killing a St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter. The conviction and sentence stand for Marcellus Williams in the fatal stabbing of Lisha Gayle at her home in University City in August of 1998. The Court, in an unanimous decision, rejected claims of prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective counsel. It's the 2nd time Williams' death sentence and conviction have been upheld. (source: Missourinet.com) OKLAHOMA: Charges Filed Against More Inmates In Cushing Prison Riot A Payne County prosecutor says he plans to file 1st-degree murder charges against 7 more inmates in a prison riot that left 1 inmate dead 3 months ago. As many as 65 prisoners in two gangs fought March 22 in a recreational area of the privately operated Cimarron Correctional Facility. Adam Lippert, 32, was fatally stabbed during a riot in which inmates used aluminum bats, horseshoes and homemade weapons. The new charges will raise to 14 the number of inmates charged in Lippert's death. "I think we will have gotten the majority of those identified that were the most culpable," District Attorney Rob Hudson said Tuesday. The death penalty will be sought against several inmates. Hudson said the seven inmates either planned, organized or were involved with the riot. He said the additional charges stemmed from work by Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents. Inmates previously charged face preliminary hearings in mid-July, Hudson said. Those charged were in prison for crimes ranging from murder to drug possession. Normally, Payne County prosecutes about three homicide cases a year. The riot aftermath will keep the office busy, Hudson said. Linda Hurst, Cimarron Correctional Facility spokeswoman, said the prison owned by Nashville, Tenn.-based Corrections Corporation of America came off lockdown May 23. The 2-month lockdown was the longest in its history. She said prison officials hope to allow inmates to play softball tournaments but will not allow regular horseshoes. Instead, a rubber horseshoe will be introduced. Hurst said she's glad those responsible for the riot could soon be punished. "Hindsight is always 20-20,'' she said. "I have long experiences with corrections ... and I've never known them not to have the regular horseshoes, but yes, in hindsight we would wish to say we had rubber horseshoes." (source: Associated Press)
