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A tattoo, the N-word, a different crime: Colorado justices hear appeal of former death row inmate

The Colorado Supreme Court heard arguments on March 20, 2024, regarding the appeal of Sir Mario Owens, a former death row inmate whose sentence was commuted to life without parole following the state's abolition of the death penalty in 2020. Owens was convicted for the 2005 murder of Javad Marshall-Fields and his fiancée, Vivian Wolfe, in Aurora. His appeal focuses on several issues, including the suppression of evidence related to a witness's mental health, the validity of his conviction, and the appropriateness of his original death sentence. The court is examining whether Owens' rights were violated during his trial, particularly concerning the testimony of a key witness, Robert Ray, whose mental health issues were not fully disclosed. The justices are also considering the broader implications of the abolition of the death penalty on previous sentences.

Read the Full coloradopolitics Article at:
[ https://www.coloradopolitics.com/courts/colorado-justices-hear-appeal-of-former-death-row-inmate/article_f4df568e-d37c-11ef-aaf6-a3b298980687.html ]