Russell Alexander v. C. Murray Henderson, Warden, Louisiana State Penitentiary

This is an appeal from the denial of a habeas petition by a state prisoner. The petitioner, Russell Alexander, was convicted by a Louisiana jury of murder and sentenced to death. In his habeas petition Alexander asserts (1) that his conviction was based on an involuntary confession which was admitted into evidence in violation of the Fifth Amendment, and (2) that the death sentence was returned by a “hanging” jury in violation of Witherspoon v. Illinois, 1968, 391 U.S. 510, 88 S.Ct. 1770, 20 L.Ed.2d 776. We conclude that on the basis of the reasons and reasoning carefully delineated in the…