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Biden Has 65 Days Left in Office. Here’s What He Can Do on Criminal Justice.

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Judicial appointments and the death penalty are among areas where a lame-duck administration can still leave a mark. Donald Trump’s second presidential term will begin on Jan. 20, bringing with it promises to dramatically reshape many aspects of the criminal justice system. The U.S. Senate — with its authority over confirming judicial nominees — will also shift from Democratic to Republican control.
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Texas death-row inmate Ivan Cantu loses Supreme Court appeal

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Ivan Cantu
Ivan Cantu
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review an appeal from a Dallas man who shot and killed his cousin in a botched 2000 robbery and is now on death row.

Ivan Cantu, 44, had argued that his legal help during his 2001 trial was ineffective and didn't present evidence that proved his innocence.

The Supreme Court made no comment Monday regarding its decision.

Cantu was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death on Oct. 16, 2001, for the slaying of his cousin, James Mosqueda, 27, in Far North Dallas.

He also was indicted in the slaying of Amy Kitchen, 22, Mosqueda's girlfriend.

During the trial, one of Cantu's former girlfriends, Amy Boettcher, testified that he had told her of his plans to kill Mosqueda and showed her the bodies after the act.

Boettcher also said that when she saw Cantu on the night of the murder, his socks and pants were bloody. Tests showed that the blood on his clothing belonged to Mosqueda.

Additionally, police found Mosqueda's car at Cantu's apartment complex. Investigators also found the murder weapon — with Cantu's fingerprints on the magazine — at the home of another of Cantu's ex-girlfriends.

Sources: Dallas News, Associated Press, June 19, 2017

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