Court refuses to hear Martinez appeal

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court refused, without comment, Monday to hear the appeal of Oklahoma death row inmate Gilberto Martinez. <br><br>Martinez was convicted of the 1987 deaths Margaret

Monday, May 1st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court refused, without comment, Monday to hear the appeal of Oklahoma death row inmate Gilberto Martinez.

Martinez was convicted of the 1987 deaths Margaret Castillo, 3, and Reynalda Castillo, 4, in a house fire in Tillman County. Margaret was Martinez' daughter and Reynalda was his half-sister.

Martinez, a Cuban national, has been on death row since 1988. His first conviction was thrown out and he was convicted again in 1997.

Prosecutors allege Martinez poured gasoline in Mary Castillo's house while her five children slept and set it on fire because he had seen her with another man. Three of the children escaped, including one who told investigators he saw Martinez at the house.

Gerald Adams, a spokesman for the state attorney general's office, said Martinez has the full federal appeals process before him.