BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — A new trial has been scheduled for an Arkansas inmate whose murder conviction and death sentence were overturned because one juror slept and another posted on Twitter during the court proceedings.
Judge Jon Comstock scheduled an Aug. 27 trial for 26-year-old Erickson Dimas-Martinez, who was convicted in 2010 for the death of 17-year-old Derrick Jefferson. Last month, the Arkansas Supreme Court overturned Dimas-Martinez' capital murder conviction and death sentence because of juror misconduct.
The high court ruled it was inappropriate for the juror to tweet about the trial, even though the juror did not mention specifics of the case.
The Benton County Daily Record reports that prosecutors will again seek the death penalty.
The judge also scheduled pretrial hearings for March 14 and Aug. 8.
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