South Carolina Court Overturns Kierin Dennis Murder Conviction

A Pennsylvania judge has overturned the 91-year-old murder conviction of Alexander McClay Williams, who was executed in 1931 for the murder of Vida Robare, a case that has been reopened due to claims of due process violations and new evidence suggesting his innocence. Williams, a 16-year-old African American at the time, confessed to the crime without legal counsel, and his all-white jury convicted him amid racial tensions. Meanwhile, the South Carolina Court of Appeals has reversed Kierin Dennis's murder conviction for the 2014 stabbing of DaVon Capers, a high school student, citing a lack of a proper immunity hearing regarding self-defense claims. Dennis's initial trial resulted in a mistrial, and his second trial led to a conviction, but the appeals court found that he was not granted a fair chance to argue for immunity under the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law. Both cases highlight significant concerns regarding the legal processes and racial dynamics in the justice system. The outcomes of these appeals raise questions about historical injustices and the proper application of self-defense laws.