|
WASHINGTON (AP) - After William Weaver was convicted of the 1987 murder of a key witness in a federal drug case, the prosecutor told jurors to think beyond Weaver and send a message to drug dealers by returning a sentence of death.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday considered whether those and other remarks in the Missouri case unfairly inflamed the jury and violated Weaver's constitutional rights.
A federal appeals court ruling found the prosecutor's remarks improper and upheld a federal judge's decision to throw out the death sentence. The Missouri Supreme Court had previously denied any claim of unfairness and affirmed Weaver's sentence.
|