Death Row Inmate Seeks New Trial

JACKSON, Miss. (WCB) – The U.S. Supreme Court will hold a conference March 22 to decide on whether to hear an appeal from Mississippi death row inmate Willie Jerome Manning.

Manning asked U.S. Supreme Court in December to listen to his arguments for a new trial. Manning has argued that defense attorneys should have done a better job and that black residents were inappropriately excluded from his Oktibbeha County jury.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned Manning down last July. The court said Manning filed his post-conviction claim too late to be heard in state courts.

Manning received two death sentences for the 1992 slayings of two Mississippi State University students, Jon Steckler and Tiffany Miller.