Arkansas Supreme Court Throws Out Murder Conviction
(AP) - The Arkansas Supreme Court has tossed out a death row inmate's murder conviction, finding misconduct among jurors who slept and tweeted during the proceedings
The court on Thursday voided Erickson Dimas-Martinez's 2010 conviction in the slaying of Derrick Jefferson. Dimas-Martinez's attorneys appealed his conviction over a juror tweeting during the trial, despite the judge's instruction not to post on the Internet or otherwise communicate with anyone about the case. The lawyers also complained that another juror slept.
An assistant attorney general last month defended the judge's decision to not dismiss the tweeting juror, saying his tweets were merely about the juror's feelings and not about specifics of the trial. The justices sent the case back to Benton County for a new trial.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.