California Supreme Court Reverses Death Sentence in Murders of Dad, Stepmom, Stepsister

California Supreme Court Reverses Death Sentence in Murders of Dad, Stepmom, Stepsister
A condemned inmate is led out of his east block cell on death row at San Quentin State Prison, in San Quentin, Calif., in a file image. Eric Risberg/AP Photo
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LOS ANGELES—A Los Angeles man twice convicted of murdering his father, stepmother, and 8-year-old stepsister 40 years ago had his death sentence reversed Thursday by the California Supreme Court.

The court upheld Robert Bloom’s first-degree murder conviction in his father’s slaying but reversed second-degree murder convictions in the other killings because his lawyers violated his 6th Amendment right to choose his defense.