Supreme Court Stays Ruling That Could Lead to Retrial of Death Row Prisoner

The 11th Circuit found prosecutors violated Alabama inmate Michael Sockwell’s constitutional rights.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas poses for an official portrait at the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court building in Washington on Oct. 7, 2022. Alex Wong/Getty Images

The Supreme Court on Sept. 26 temporarily stayed a federal appeals court ruling requiring that Alabama death row inmate Michael Sockwell be retried for murder.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit had ruled June 30 that Sockwell’s conviction was unconstitutional because prosecutors engaged in racial discrimination during jury selection.