Supreme Court Revives Challenge from Oklahoma Death Row Inmate Brenda Andrew

The U.S. Supreme Court has revived the case of Brenda Andrew, a death row inmate in Oklahoma, allowing her to challenge her conviction for the 2001 murder of her estranged husband. The court found that her trial may have been tainted by the use of irrelevant and prejudicial evidence regarding her sexual history and demeanor, which prosecutors used to portray her negatively. In a divided 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court directed a lower court to reconsider whether the introduction of such evidence violated Andrew's due process rights. Prosecutors had emphasized Andrew's personal life, including derogatory terms and references to her clothing, to bolster their case against her. Andrew's legal team argues that this approach reflects a broader issue of gender bias in the justice system. The case will now return to lower federal courts for further litigation on her habeas corpus claim.