USA - Alabama. A federal appeals court has reinstated the death penalty of Holly Wood.

A federal appeals court has reinstated the death penalty of Holly Wood. A U.S. district judge had vacated the sentence of Holly Wood in the Sept. 1, 1993 slaying of ex-girlfriend Ruby Lois Gosha because Wood's attorneys failed to tell the jury about his mental retardation during the trial's penalty phase. The state appealed. An 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled 2-1 today that Wood failed to show his lawyers were unconstitutionally ineffective in their strategy.