USA - Ohio. The Ohio Supreme Court has thrown out the death sentence of Jason Dean

The Ohio Supreme Court has thrown out the death sentence of Jason Dean, saying the judge failed to provide a fair trial. The court's decision today also ordered a new trial for defendant Jason Dean even as the justices acknowledged substantial evidence of his guilt. The unanimous ruling said Judge Douglas Rastatter of Clark County Common Pleas Court was so biased against Dean's attorneys that he tainted the entire trial. The decision said relations between the judge and lawyers broke down after the defense tried to have Rastatter removed for alleged bias against Dean. Dean was convicted of the April 13, 2005 shooting murder of Titus Arnold, 23. According to prosecutors, Dean killed Arnold while attempting an armed robbery and a drive-by shooting. (see also May 30, 2006)