Supreme Court Vacates Mississippi Death Sentence Over Batson Jury-Selection FailureMay 29, 2026Legal NewsThe Supreme Court, 5-4, vacated a Mississippi death sentence after finding the trial court skipped a mandatory step in the Batson racial-bias jury-selection inquiry.
Supreme Court Dismisses Hamm v. Smith, Leaving Atkins IQ Standards UnresolvedMay 27, 2026Legal NewsThe Supreme Court dismissed Hamm v. Smith as improvidently granted, leaving federal courts without guidance on how to weigh cumulative IQ scores in Atkins capital cases.
Supreme Court Dismisses Alabama Execution Case, Leaving Disability Bar IntactMay 22, 2026Legal NewsThe Supreme Court dismissed Hamm v. Smith 5-4, sparing an Alabama death row inmate but leaving courts without a uniform test for borderline IQ cases.
ACLU Sues Tennessee Over Denied Forensic Testing for Death Row InmateMay 4, 2026Law and PolicyThe ACLU filed suit April 28, 2026, to compel DNA and fingerprint testing for Tennessee death row prisoner Tony Carruthers, set for execution May 21.