Supreme Court throws out ruling setting aside death penalty for suspect in cop killing

High court throws out ruling favorable to suspect

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has thrown out a court ruling that invalidated a man’s death sentence for killing a Philadelphia police officer in 1981.

The move was the latest twist in a racially tinged case involving Mumia Abu-Jamal, whose court fight has drawn international attention.

The court on Tuesday ordered the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia to take another look at Abu-Jamal’s claim that the jury weighing his punishment was given flawed instructions. The high court acted on Pennsylvania’s appeal of the 3rd Circuit ruling following a decision last week in a capital case from Ohio that turned on a similar issue. The 3rd Circuit could order a federal trial court to consider Abu-Jamal’s case anew, including other claims he has raised that have yet to be decided.

(This version CORRECTS APNewsNow. corrects spelling of Abu-Jamal in 2nd graf.)