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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to reconsider the conviction of a Mississippi death row prisoner for the murders of eight individuals, which took place during a single evening in 2017 and included both his mother-in-law and a deputy sheriff among the victims.
Willie Cory Godbolt submitted a hand-written appeal in August requesting that the higher court reconsider the decision made by the Mississippi Supreme Court, which upheld his convictions and death penalties.
In his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, he argued for inadequate legal representation and unlawful searches, along with several other infringements. The justices usually do not provide reasons for declining to hear a case; thus, they did not disclose the rationale behind rejecting Godbolt’s petition.
The investigators stated that the trouble started on May 27, 2017, when Godbolt visited his in-laws’ residence and got into an argument with his ex-wife regarding their offspring.
When assistance was requested, a Lincoln County deputy sheriff who arrived at the scene tragically died from a gunshot wound to the face. The perpetrator’s mother-in-law along with two others lost their lives at that location. Early the following morning, tragedy struck again as an 18-year-old and an 11-year-old were murdered in another residence, followed by the death of a husband and wife in yet a third home.
Godbolt was convicted
In February 2020, charges included four counts of capital murder, four counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping, one count of attempted murder, and one count of armed robbery.
The jury condemned Godbolt to death for each of the capital murder charges. In addition, he received six life sentences along with two terms of 20 years for the remaining convictions.
Godbolt, who is currently 42 years old, is also on
death row
At the Mississippi State Penitentiary located in Parchman.
The Mississippi Supreme Court upheld his convictions and death penalties in March 2024.
The Associated Press