SCOTUS says No to Alabama Prosecutors

      The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered a new hearing for an Alabama Death Row inmate who was never informed of a court decision against him, because his lawyers had left their firm and never received word of the decision. Corey Maples (left) missed an appeal deadine because of the miscommunication.
      Alabama prosecutors seem to have really gotten their backs up about this, appealing it all the way to the highest court, at who knows what expense. Why the state didn't simply agree to a rehearing is beyond me. Clearly the inmate was treated unfairly through no fault of his own...why not admit that, espcially in a case in which the inmate's life is at stake?

[PLUS: The Atlantic magazine has an interesting article looking at the Scalia vs Ginsburg arguments in the decision.]