Just over a year after the U.S. Supreme Court vacated Terrance Williams’ death sentence based on a finding that former Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille should have recused from the case, a four-justice state Supreme Court has deadlocked on remand, letting stand a lower court’s ruling entitling Williams to a new penalty phase of his trial.
Justices Sallie Updyke Mundy, David N. Wecht, Christine L. Donohue and Kevin M. Dougherty heard the case on remand from the U.S. Supreme Court, reviewing for the second time a Post-Conviction Relief Act judge’s decision to vacate Williams’ death penalty based on Brady violations. The justices split 2-2, leaving the PCRA court’s ruling undisturbed.
