Supreme Court refuses to review Danny Lee Hill appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review the appeal of a man convicted of the murder of a Warren boy nearly 40 years ago.
The Supreme Court declined to review the decision of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to deny Danny Lee Hill a new hearing based off of "newly-discovered evidence" relating to a bite mark.
An Ohio court rejected this appeal stating that there was "no probability" that a new trial for Hill would lead to a different outcome in his case since the state proffered so much other evidence pointing to Hill's guilt.
In August of of 2023, Hill's second federal habeas petition argued that Hill's due process rights were violated because the trial court did not properly conduct a materiality review of the bite mark evidence was denied by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Sixth Circuit Court characterized Hill's petition as "second or successive."
Unhappy with that ruling, Hill's attorney's called on the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his appeal, but the court denied this request.
Hill is convicted of killing 12-year-old boy scout Raymond Fife in 1985. According to police, Fife was found naked and severely beaten in a wooded area.
Police say Fife appeared to be severely burned and his underwear were tied around his neck and appeared to be lit on fire.
Hill is set to be executed in 2026.