Arkansas court reverses murder conviction of Texarkana man, orders 4th trial
The unanimous ruling on Thursday, Dec. 17 also overturned the life sentence of the defendant, Marvin Arrell Stanton.
Marvin Stanton Published: 1:34 PM CST December 18, 2020 Updated: 1:39 PM CST December 18, 2020
LITTLE ROCK, Ark The Arkansas Supreme Court has reversed a murder conviction of a Texarkana man after finding that jurors were improperly exposed to political campaigning by the case’s lead prosecutor.
The unanimous ruling on Thursday, Dec. 17 also overturned the life sentence of the defendant, Marvin Arrell Stanton, accused of fatally shooting another man over a parking space.
A Miller County jury found Stanton guilty in the 2015 shooting of 22-year-old Jesse James Hamilton. Witnesses said a fight began in the parking lot of a convenience store and gas station after Hamilton parked in the spot Stanton preferred.
Arkansas court overturns murder conviction, orders 4th trial
December 18, 2020 GMT
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) The Arkansas Supreme Court reversed a Texarkana man’s murder conviction after finding jurors were improperly exposed to political campaigning by the lead prosecutor.
The unanimous ruling on Thursday overturned Marvin Arrell Stanton’s conviction and sentence. Stanton was sentenced to life plus 15 years at the end of his third trial for fatally shooting a 22-year-old after a fight over a parking spot in 2015.
His first conviction was tossed out by an appellate court because of testimony during the guilt or innocence phase of that trial. The second jury was sent home after a mistrial was declared. In the third attempt, after the jury voted to convict Stanton of first-degree murder and sentenced him to life in prison. His attorney, Jeff Rosenzweig, appealed.