US Justice Department Asked To Submit Brief In Oklahoma Case

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The US Supreme Court is asking the Justice Department to file a brief in an appeal filed by an Oklahoma death row inmate. <br/><br/>Attorneys for Patrick Murphy are asking for a new

Tuesday, June 27th 2006, 11:09 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The US Supreme Court is asking the Justice Department to file a brief in an appeal filed by an Oklahoma death row inmate.

Attorneys for Patrick Murphy are asking for a new trial on the grounds that Murphy and the victim are Indians, the crime took place on tribal land and the case should've been prosecuted in federal court instead of state court.

Murphy was convicted and sentenced to die for killing George Jacobs in 1999 in McIntosh County.

A state appeals court has rejected Murphy's appeal and now the Supreme Court is asking the US solicitor general for an opinion on whether a new trial is deserved.