Oklahoma Court Holding Appeal Hearing For Kevin Underwood

Associated Press

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- A lawyer for a man sentenced to die for the grisly killing of a 10-year-old girl says his client deserves a new trial.

Attorney William Luker presented oral arguments Tuesday in the case of Kevin Ray Underwood before the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. The grocery store stocker was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2006 killing of Jamie Bolin.

Luker argued that Underwood's confessions to police were inadmissible and that a roadblock where investigators first encountered him was improper.

He also argued that a juror on the case was dishonest when questioned during jury selection.

Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Dickson said all of Underwood's constitutional rights were protected and that police did "everything by the book."

The hearing was held at the University of Oklahoma College of Law in Norman.

10/5/2010 Related story: Oklahoma Court to Hear Convicted Killer, Kevin Underwood, Appeal