By Associated Press
Birmingham AL – The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that a judge must take another look at a capital murder case that has become a rallying point for death penalty opponents.
The court issued an 8-0 decision Friday saying a Jefferson County judge must review Anthony Ray Hinton's claim that he did not have an effective attorney at trial because the lawyer did not hire a qualified firearms expert.
Hinton was sentenced to die for the shooting deaths of John Davidson and Thomas Wayne Vason during robberies at fast-food restaurants in Birmingham in 1985.
Hinton was arrested after a third robbery and nonfatal shooting. The prosecution had a forensic expert tie the gun in that case to the two fatal robberies.
Death penalty opponents have cited Hinton as someone who lacked money to put up an adequate defense.