Supreme Court Backs Death Row Inmate in Sexism-Based Appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court has reversed a decision against Brenda Andrew, an Oklahoma death row inmate, based on claims that her 2004 conviction was tainted by sexist prosecutorial tactics. Andrew's trial centered on demeaning evidence that focused on her personal life rather than the crime itself.

The Supreme Court of the United States has overturned a prior decision, lending renewed hope to Brenda Andrew, a female Oklahoma death row inmate. Andrew argues her 2004 conviction was marred by prejudiced evidence focusing on her private life and gender stereotypes.

The Supreme Court's unsupervised ruling sends the case back to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider if her initial trial was fundamentally unjust. Citing an excess of irrelevant evidence concerning Andrew's sex life and maternal roles, the court highlighted the prosecution's potentially unfair bias.

This pivotal decision mandates the 10th Circuit to reassess whether her trial was flawed by undue prejudice. Dissenting opinions were voiced by Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, who backed the prior court's decision. Brenda Andrew and her co-conspirator James Pavatt both remain on death row following the conviction for the 2001 murder of Robert Andrew.

(With inputs from agencies.)