USA - Pennsylvania. The death sentence of Seifullah Abdul-Salaam has been overturned

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit has overturned the death sentence imposed upon Seifullah Abdul-Salaam, ruling that his lawyer provided ineffective representation in a one-day penalty hearing. Abdul-Salaam (47, Black) was convicted in the shooting death of Officer Willis Cole during an armed robbery in New Cumberland in 1994. The shooting occurred as Cole was trying to subdue co-defendant Scott Anderson who was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Abdul-Salaam was sentenced to death in Cumberland County on March 24, 1995.