The U.S. Supreme Court has sent the cases of six Texas death row inmates, including one of the infamous "Texas 7" gang of escapees, back to a lower court for reviews of whether attorneys in the earlier stages of their appeals let them down.
The condemned prisoners include Donald Newbury, part of a gang of escaped prisoners who killed a suburban Dallas police officer during a robbery in 2000.
The rulings are in line with a decision last week in another Texas case where the justices, in a 5-4 vote, said a condemned prisoner had deficient legal help early in his appeal because lawyers didn't raise challenges that his trial lawyers were ineffective.
Monday's rulings send the cases back to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for review.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
