Norfolk, Nebraska – Death-row inmate Jorge Galindo is seeking to have his convictions and sentence for the U.S. Bank killings in 2002 vacated. This comes after an unsuccessful bid for the Nebraska Supreme Court to rehear his case, following a split decision in September affirming a District Court judge’s decision to deny Galindo postconviction relief without an evidentiary hearing. Galindo and two others were convicted for the shooting deaths of five people during a bank robbery in Norfolk in 2002. Galindo was sentenced to death five times for his involvement in the deadly incident.
In 2019, Galindo filed a motion for postconviction relief, claiming prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective counsel. Despite these allegations, the Nebraska Supreme Court recently ruled against granting him a hearing to explore these claims. However, a partial dissent from Justice Jonathan Papik showed a differing opinion, stating that Galindo should be granted an evidentiary hearing to further investigate the claims of prosecutorial misconduct.
Following the court’s decision, Galindo’s attorney filed a motion to stay the mandate from being issued while seeking a federal review of the case. Two days later, a 375-page petition for a writ of habeas corpus was filed on Galindo’s behalf, raising 37 claims.
The case involving Jorge Galindo raises important questions surrounding prosecutorial conduct and the appeals process for death-row inmates. The complex legal battle continues as Galindo seeks to have his convictions and sentences overturned. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for how similar cases are handled in the future, and it underscores the importance of thorough and fair legal proceedings in capital punishment cases.