The U

The U.S. Supreme Court reinstated George Banks' death sentences in a sweeping opinion that will impact as many as 30 other death row inmates in Pennsylvania. The high court voted 5-4 to overturn a federal appellate court ruling that negated Banks's death sentences based on problems with jury instructions during the penalty phase of his 1983 trial. The ruling is a crucial victory for prosecutors statewide because similar jury instructions were used in dozens of cases throughout the 1980s. Banks, 59, is biracial. He said he killed his 5 children, ages 1 to 6, to save them from a racist society. The other victims were 4 mothers of his children and 4 bystanders. They were killed on Sept. 15, 1982. He was officially sentenced to death in 1987 after exhausting all state appeals. On October 31, 2001 (see) the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered prosecutors to give George Banks a new sentencing hearing within 120 days. In a ruling in January 2003, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the death sentences, citing improperly worded jury instructions.