Supreme Court Ruling Makes It Harder for Innocent People To Get Their Convictions Overturned

On May 23, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 against two Arizona individuals on death row, deciding that federal courts may not hold evidentiary hearings in suits from state prisoners claiming ineffective assistance of counsel. In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayer wrote, "Two men whose trial attorneys did not provide even the bare minimum level of representation required by the Constitution may be executed because forces outside of their control prevented them from vindicating their constitutional right to counsel." This decision will make it more difficult for innocent people to get their convictions overturned. Read more