The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled against a Texas death row inmate convicted of killing two people at a child's birthday party, including a 5-year-old girl.
The court, on a 5-4 vote, ruled against inmate Erick Davila, 30, who was sentenced to death for the 2008 slayings in Fort Worth of a rival gang member's mother and 5-year-old daughter at another girl's outdoor party.
The court rejected Davila's argument that he had received ineffective assistance of counsel in his appeal in violation of the U.S. Constitution's Sixth Amendment during the lengthy appeals process after his conviction.
