The United States Supreme Court ruled 8-0 today to reverse the Florida Supreme Court's decision to grant Joe Nixon a new trial. The Florida Supreme Court had found that Nixon was denied a zealous defense when his counsel conceded his guilt in an effort to persuade the jury not to give Nixon the death penalty. The Florida court found this tactic denied Nixon of his Sixth Amendment rights to a vigorous defense. The US Supreme Court disagreed. In an opinion written by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (arguably the most "liberal" of the Justices on death penalty issues), the Court stated it could not second-guess the attorney's trial strategy. They found the strategy reasonable and noted that Nixon had many opportunities to object.
No new trial for death row inmate, even though lawyer goofed, court rules
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