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Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Death Sentence

Arizona Department of Corrections

A sharply divided Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for an Arizona inmate who was convicted of killing two people in home burglaries nearly 30 years ago. 

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the court's conservative justices, rejected the arguments of inmate James Erin McKinney that he deserved a new sentencing hearing so that a jury can decide whether he should face death or life in prison.

He was first sentenced to death by a judge.

The court's four liberal justices dissented.

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