USA - Ohio. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the conviction and death penalty of Archie Dixon, 37, white

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati has overturned the conviction and death penalty of Archie Dixon, 37, white, finding that police coerced his confession to beating his roommate and burying him alive. Dixon was convicted in 1996 in Lucas County in the Sept. 22, 1993 slaying of Christopher Hammer. The 2-1 ruling overturned a 2004 Ohio Supreme Court decision that had upheld the use of Dixon's confession in his trial despite a police decision not to initially read Dixon his rights. The appeals ruling says police intentionally planned to get a murder confession by not advising Dixon of his rights initially. The court gave Lucas County prosecutors six months to retry Dixon.