USA - Pennsylvania. Judge Anita Brody has thrown out the death penalty given to Shawnfatee Bridges, 36, Black

U.S. District Judge Anita Brody has thrown out the death penalty given to Shawnfatee Bridges, 36, Black, a man who's spent 15 years on death row. Judge Brody overturned Bridges' murder conviction because prosecutors did not provide the defense with police records that could have impeached a key witness. In a 114-page opinion, Brody concluded that former District Attorney Mark C. Baldwin did not provide the defense with police records for key prosecution witness George Robles. She said the information linking Robles to 4 other shootings could have been used to impeach Robles' testimony. Bridges had been found guilty of the December 7, 1996 drug-related slayings of cousins Damon and Gregory Banks and sentenced to death in Berks County on February 23, 1998. Brody ordered prosecutors to release the now 36-year-old Bridges from state prison in Graterford by Aug. 21 unless he is retried. District Attorney John Adams says he'll appeal the ruling. He is also preparing to retry the case.