DEATH ROW UPDATE: U.S. Supreme Court Won't Reconsider Arizona Death Sentences Vs. Scottsdale Sons-Murderer Andre Leteve

In addition to denying Sheriff Joe's immigration-related petition today, the U.S. Supreme Court ended Andre Leteve's appeals of his Arizona death sentences for murdering his two young sons in Scottsdale six year ago.  The Court refused his petition for relief after the Arizona Supreme Court affirmed the death sentence in August.

Leteve purchased a handgun, killed his 5- and 1-year old children with it and shot himself in the face after separating from his wife. Here is how the Arizona Supreme Court summarized the case.

Leteve had appealed the two death sentences (one for each son) on a large number of reasons. The Arizona justices addressed the top several; the U.S. Supreme Court justices declined to address any of them.

Leteve will remain on Arizona's death row. Leteve's case attracted worldwide attention for the heinousness and depravity of the actions.


Tempe attorney Paul Weich contributed this article.

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

Arizona In Capitol Hill Spotlight Again Today - Smaller, Though, As Judiciary Committee Takes Up Hurwitz Nomination To 9th Circuit

At 12:15pm (Arizona Time) this afternoon, the Senate Judiciary Committee will take its opportunity to hear from Arizona Supreme Court's current Vice Chief Justice Andrew Hurwitz, who has been nominated by President Barack Obama for a seat on the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

Link to webcast

Outgoing Arizona Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) is on the committee and will likely be present.

Hurwitz was nominated to fill one of the vacancies in the busy circuit this past November. He has been on the Arizona Supreme Court since 2003, clerked for judges at every level of the federal courts in the early 1970's, spent many years in private practice and also provided legal counsel to Arizona's three most recent Democratic governors.

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com, or call at 602-799-7025. Thanks.

"Fifth Beatle" Billy Preston's Bankruptcy Estate Can Continue Wrongful Death/Elder Abuse Against Long-Term Hospital, Says Arizona Supreme Court

The late Billy Preston's bankruptcy estate can pick up and continue a wrongful death and elder abuse lawsuit against the long-term hospital in which he died in 2006.  The Arizona Supreme Court today refused to dismiss the case simply because it had been started by Preston's personal representatives before the Grammy-winners death.

While fighting the complications from a 2002 kidney transplant, Preston filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2005 - the same year he went into a coma.  Following his death in 2006, personal representatives of his estate filed the elder abuse/wrongful death claim in state court.  The bankruptcy was also converted to Chapter 7 (liquidation) and a bankruptcy trustee was assigned.  Kindred Hospitals moved to dismiss the wrongful death claim on the grounds that it should have been filed by the bankruptcy trustee; the trial court agreed.

In a unanimous decision today, the Arizona Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeals' reversal of the trial court and said the case may continue.  The justices ended up by noting that it is "difficult to imagine how the substitution... could result in prejudice" to the hospital.

The late John Lennon had suggested that keyboardist extraordinaire Preston - who had met the Beatles in 1962 and played with them in 1969 (with credit, for Arizona-tinged "Get Back", as well as on "Don't Let Me Down" and the "Abbey Road" album).  He played with three of the four Beatles after the group broke apart, and had several top 10 solo hits (including "Will It Go Round In Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing").  Younger music buffs might remember him from his work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and from his appearance on the (4th) season finale of American Idol.

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com. Thanks.