Norfolk, Nebraska – Death-row inmate Jorge Galindo has filed a petition with the federal court to overturn his convictions and sentence for his involvement in the U.S. Bank killings in Norfolk in 2002. This comes after an unsuccessful attempt to appeal his case to the Nebraska Supreme Court.
Galindo, along with two others, was sentenced to death for the murder of five people at a U.S. Bank branch in 2002. The three men left empty-handed after the killings, but were arrested and subsequently convicted, with Galindo and one other being found guilty at trial, while the third pleaded guilty.
In 2019, Galindo filed a motion for postconviction relief, alleging prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective assistance of counsel. Despite being denied a hearing without evidence, Galindo appealed to the Nebraska Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments last year.
His attorney argued that Galindo should have been granted a hearing to explore allegations that the county attorney had been involved in a criminal drug ring and had shielded himself by getting participants to testify against Galindo, implicating him in another killing before the U.S. Bank murders. The majority of the court found that even if Galindo could prove his allegations, it would not amount to harmless error. However, Justice Jonathan Papik dissented, stating that Galindo should be granted an evidentiary hearing on the claim regarding the county attorney. Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman also agreed that an evidentiary hearing should have been granted on the claim.
Furthermore, a 375-page petition for a writ of habeas corpus was filed on Galindo’s behalf, raising 37 claims. On Dec. 9, a motion was filed to stay the mandate while Galindo seeks review of federal questions.
In summary, Galindo is seeking to have his convictions and sentence overturned based on various claims, including prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective assistance of counsel. His case has sparked a debate within the legal community, with differing opinions on whether he should be granted an evidentiary hearing on the allegations against the county attorney.