Supreme Court Declines to Reinstate Ohio Man’s Attempted Murder Conviction

Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Justice Samuel Alito, sharply criticized the Sixth Circuit for its handling of the case and the Supreme Court's decision to allow a retrial.

The Supreme Court opted not to review a Sixth Circuit decision that overturned David Smith's 22-year conviction for a 2015 hammer attack in Ohio.
Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, accusing the Sixth Circuit of disregarding legal precedent under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA).
The Sixth Circuit ruled that the identification process used to convict Smith was overly suggestive, violating his due process rights, and ordered a retrial within six months.
Thomas argued that the lower court's decision undermines state courts, strains resources, and retraumatizes victims, calling the errors 'particularly egregious.'
Ohio prosecutors, supported by Attorney General David Yost, defended the original conviction, citing DNA evidence and phone records linking Smith to the crime.