United States v. Irie E. Leonard, United States of America v. James L. Sarvis

Defendants Leonard and Sarvis were charged with having participated in a particularly brutal crime — the robbery, torture and murder of Benjamin Rudd. At the conclusion of their joint trial, the jury found both defendants guilty of armed robbery and second-degree burglary. Sarvis was acquitted of the murder counts; Leonard was convicted of first-degree murder. A third defendant, one Francis Salters, tried together with Leonard and Sarvis on all counts except that charging first-degree murder, was acquitted.

I join the Court’s decision to reverse the defendants’ convictions. I agree that the…