USA - California. The California Supreme Court in a unanimous decision overturned the conviction and death sentence of Craigen Lewis Armstrong

The California Supreme Court in a unanimous decision overturned the conviction and death sentence of Craigen Lewis Armstrong, finding that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Pounders discharged a juror during the guilt phase of Armstrong’s trial without demonstrable reason to believe that the juror could not complete her duty. The Court granted a new trial to Armstrong because the trial judge improperly removed a juror who had appeared to have reached the conclusion that Armstrong was not guilty, saying that the juror was refusing to deliberate. Armstrong, now 34, Black, was sentenced to death in Los Angeles County on January 5, 2005 for murdering 3 brothers. A jury convicted Armstrong, a reputed gang member, of 1st-degree murder in the Sept. 2001 murderes of Christopher, Torry and Michael Florence.