Post by scotkaz on Jun 10, 2006 12:26:56 GMT -5
Death Penalty Appeal - Detail
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Mason, Maurice
County: Marion
Summary of Crime: On 2/8/93, Mason murdered 19-year-old Robin Dennis inside an abandoned building in a rural area near Pole Lane Road. Ms. Dennis had given Mason a ride to his house because her husband planned to trade his gun for Mason's television. Mason raped Ms. Dennis, pistol-whipped her with her husband's gun and struck her eight times in the head with a board that had nails protruding from it. DNA testing matched Mason's DNA with the semen in Ms. Dennis' vagina.
Ohio / State Procedural History
Original Trial
Indictment: 09/30/1993
Sentence: 07/07/1994
First Review of Original Trial
(Direct Appeal)
Court of Appeals Decision: 12/09/1996
Supreme Court Decision: 06/17/1998
First U.S. Supreme Court Review: 12/14/1998
Second Review of Original Trial
(Post-Conviction Action)
Filed in Trial Court: 09/20/1996
Trial Court Decision: 11/21/1996
Court of Appeals Decision: 06/09/1997
Supreme Court Decision: 10/15/1997
Second U.S. Supreme Court Review:
Re-Examine First Review/Original Trial
("Murnahan" Appeal)
Court of Appeals Decision: 11/16/1999
Supreme Court Decision: 09/20/2000
U.S. / Federal Procedural History
Request Writ of Habeus Corpus
U.S. District Court in Columbus
Judge: Katz
Prisoner's Notice of Intent: 03/08/1999
Prisoner's Petition: 07/15/1999
State's Return of Writ: 09/02/1999
Prisoner's Traverse: 01/18/2000
Evidentiary Hearing: 12/29/2003
District Court Decision: 10/31/2005
Review of Habeus Corpus Decision
U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals
Notice of Appeal: 11/28/2005
Prisoner's Final Brief:
State's Final Brief:
Oral Argument:
Court of Appeals Decision:
Third U.S. Supreme Court Review
U.S. Supreme Court
Certiorari Petition:
Brief in Opposition:
Supreme Court Decision:
Current Status:
(as of: 12/31/2005)
Status In State Courts:
No proceedings currently pending in state court.
Status In Federal Courts:
Case is currently pending briefing in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Case Notes:
On 6/17/98, the Ohio Supreme Court affirmed Mason's conviction and death sentence on direct appeal. On 5/9/00, the federal district court denied Mason's petition for a writ of habeas corpus. On 2/6/03, the 6th Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Mason's petition for a writ of habeas corpus as to his conviction, but vacated his death sentence based on ineffective assistance of counsel and remanded to the district court for an evidentiary hearing. On 12/29/03 and 12/30/03, the district court held an evidentiary hearing. On 1/5/04, the district court granted Mason's motion to reopen the evidentiary hearing and held a status conference. On 10/31/05, the district court denied Mason's petition for a writ of habeas corpus, and issued a certificate of appealability. On 11/28/05, Mason filed a notice appeal to the 6th Circuit.
Days Since Death Penalty Imposed: 4195
(as of: 12/31/2005)
< Go Back to List
Mason, Maurice
County: Marion
Summary of Crime: On 2/8/93, Mason murdered 19-year-old Robin Dennis inside an abandoned building in a rural area near Pole Lane Road. Ms. Dennis had given Mason a ride to his house because her husband planned to trade his gun for Mason's television. Mason raped Ms. Dennis, pistol-whipped her with her husband's gun and struck her eight times in the head with a board that had nails protruding from it. DNA testing matched Mason's DNA with the semen in Ms. Dennis' vagina.
Ohio / State Procedural History
Original Trial
Indictment: 09/30/1993
Sentence: 07/07/1994
First Review of Original Trial
(Direct Appeal)
Court of Appeals Decision: 12/09/1996
Supreme Court Decision: 06/17/1998
First U.S. Supreme Court Review: 12/14/1998
Second Review of Original Trial
(Post-Conviction Action)
Filed in Trial Court: 09/20/1996
Trial Court Decision: 11/21/1996
Court of Appeals Decision: 06/09/1997
Supreme Court Decision: 10/15/1997
Second U.S. Supreme Court Review:
Re-Examine First Review/Original Trial
("Murnahan" Appeal)
Court of Appeals Decision: 11/16/1999
Supreme Court Decision: 09/20/2000
U.S. / Federal Procedural History
Request Writ of Habeus Corpus
U.S. District Court in Columbus
Judge: Katz
Prisoner's Notice of Intent: 03/08/1999
Prisoner's Petition: 07/15/1999
State's Return of Writ: 09/02/1999
Prisoner's Traverse: 01/18/2000
Evidentiary Hearing: 12/29/2003
District Court Decision: 10/31/2005
Review of Habeus Corpus Decision
U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals
Notice of Appeal: 11/28/2005
Prisoner's Final Brief:
State's Final Brief:
Oral Argument:
Court of Appeals Decision:
Third U.S. Supreme Court Review
U.S. Supreme Court
Certiorari Petition:
Brief in Opposition:
Supreme Court Decision:
Current Status:
(as of: 12/31/2005)
Status In State Courts:
No proceedings currently pending in state court.
Status In Federal Courts:
Case is currently pending briefing in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Case Notes:
On 6/17/98, the Ohio Supreme Court affirmed Mason's conviction and death sentence on direct appeal. On 5/9/00, the federal district court denied Mason's petition for a writ of habeas corpus. On 2/6/03, the 6th Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Mason's petition for a writ of habeas corpus as to his conviction, but vacated his death sentence based on ineffective assistance of counsel and remanded to the district court for an evidentiary hearing. On 12/29/03 and 12/30/03, the district court held an evidentiary hearing. On 1/5/04, the district court granted Mason's motion to reopen the evidentiary hearing and held a status conference. On 10/31/05, the district court denied Mason's petition for a writ of habeas corpus, and issued a certificate of appealability. On 11/28/05, Mason filed a notice appeal to the 6th Circuit.
Days Since Death Penalty Imposed: 4195
(as of: 12/31/2005)
