COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Ohio Supreme Court says it won’t reconsider the death penalty appeal of a Cleveland man convicted of killing 11 women and hiding the remains in and around his home.
At issue in Friday’s ruling was the court’s decision earlier this month upholding the 2011 conviction and death sentence of Anthony Sowell (SOH’-wehl).
Defense attorney Jeffrey Gamso had asked the court to reconsider its Dec. 8 ruling based on what he called the trial judge’s improper closing of a pre-trial hearing. The hearing involved the admissibility of Sowell’s videotaped police interrogation of more than 11 hours.
The court ruled 5-2 Friday to reject the defense request.
The judge ultimately allowed the use of the video, and most of it was played during Sowell’s trial.
Sowell still could file federal appeals.
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