the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out 2-1 the death sentence of Abdul Haliym...

the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out 2-1 the death sentence of Abdul Haliym, also known as Wayne Frazier because his lawyer did not sufficiently investigate the man's life for evidence that would have shown a violent and abusive childhood and a potential mental defect - evidence that the court said could have resulted in a lighter sentence. The Court of Appeals ordered a new sentencing hearing that would have to begin within 6 months for Haliym. Haliym is to be released if he is not re-sentenced, the court said. All 3 judges voted to uphold his conviction. A three-judge panel found Haliym guilty in the stabbing deaths of Joann Richards and Marcellus Williams on March 25, 1987. The state could ask for a hearing by the full 6th Circuit or appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. If there is no appeal, the case would go back to Cuyahoga County for a decision on a sentencing trial.