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Convictions, death penalty overturned in 2001 slayings at Harrisburg bar

  • The Associated Press
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg is seen on Aug. 19, 2019.

 Ian Sterling for WITF

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg is seen on Aug. 19, 2019.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A federal judge has overturned the murder convictions of a man sentenced to death in the shooting deaths of two other men in a bar in Pennsylvania’s capital city almost two decades ago.

PennLive.com reports that U.S. Middle District Chief Judge Christopher Conner ruled Wednesday that now-48-year-old Samuel Randolph IV was unfairly denied the right to be represented by the attorney of his choice when a county judge refused to delay his 2003 trial so his new attorney could prepare for the case.

After being represented at trial by an appointed attorney with whom he was at odds, Randolph represented himself during the penalty phase, presented no arguments and was sentenced to death, the judge said. Conner cited the two possible death penalties and found not “a single countervailing reason” for denial of a delay in the trial.

Dauphin County prosecutors alleged that Randolph was the masked man who killed Thomas Easter and Anthony Burton and wounded five others at Todd and Pat’s Bar in Harrisburg on Sept. 19, 2001. Investigators alleged that he had twice before tried to kill the victims following a fight involving the three 18 days earlier at another bar.

Randolph repeatedly proclaimed his innocence but said as he was sentenced to death in 2003 that he had discovered Jesus in prison and knew that God would deliver him.

Conner gave prosecutors 90 days to determine whether to retry Randolph. District Attorney Fran Chardo said he is still reviewing Conner’s decision, which could be appealed to the 3rd U.S. Court of Appeals.

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