USA - Ohio. The Court of Appeals threw out the death sentence of Michael Goodwin, 36, black

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the sentence of Michael Goodwin, 36, black. Goodwin was convicted of killing Mustafa Sammour, a clerk, in a September 13, 1994 store robbery. The Court of Appeals ruled that the state must hold a new sentencing hearing in 6 months by a new Cuyahoga County jury. The judges upheld a district court decision that Goodwin received inadequate representation in his trial's sentencing phase, saying the jury should have heard mitigating evidence about his mental health and family background, while also upholding the district court's decision rejecting Goodwin's challenge to his murder conviction. The state can appeal the decision, either by asking the full 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to rule in the matter or asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the ruling.