Supreme Court rejects death row appeal over anti-gay juror
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is again rejecting a gay death row inmate’s appeal that claims jurors in South Dakota were biased against him because of his sexual orientation.
The justices did not comment on Monday in leaving in place the death sentence for Charles Rhines.
Rhines was convicted in the stabbing death of a doughnut shop employee in Rapid City, South Dakota, in 1992. His appeal followed the high court’s 2017 ruling that evidence of racial bias in the jury room allows a judge to consider setting aside a verdict.
Rhines claimed one juror said Rhines should not be sentenced to life in prison because he is gay and would be housed with other men.
The justices rejected a similar appeal from Rhines last year.
High court declines to take Pennsylvania rap artist’s case
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is declining to take the case of a Pennsylvania rapper who was convicted of threatening police officers in one of his songs.
The high court declined on Monday to take the case of Jamal Knox, known as Mayhem Mal. In 2012, he and rapper Rashee Beasley were arrested by Pittsburgh police on gun and drug charges. A song they later wrote about the arrest contains phrases including “Let’s kill these cops cuz they don’t do us no good.”
Both were charged with terroristic threats and other crimes.
Knox argued that the song was protected by the First Amendment, but he was ultimately convicted and sentenced to one to three years in prison. Pennsylvania’s highest court upheld his convictions.
